Grilled calamari, yoghurt and zucchini

This colourful dish will transport you to the Mediterranean coast, with its tender curls of calamari, grilled summer vegetables, silky Greek yoghurt and briny pops of salmon roe. Japanese ponzu sauce adds a unique citrus and savoury element to bring it all together.

Grilled calamari, yoghurt and zucchini Credit: Kitti Gould

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 400 g southern calamari
• vegetable oil, for cooking
• 2 green zucchini
• 1 yellow capsicum
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• sea salt, to taste
• extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 6 - 8 tbsp ponzu sauce
• ¼ cup dill sprigs
• 1 - 2 limes, plus lime wedges, to serve
• 50 g plain Greek yoghurt
• 50 g salmon roe (optional)

Instructions

1. Ask your fish monger to clean the calamari for you. Get them to remove the skin, separate the head from the body and the wings from the body as well. If southern calamari are not available, northern calamari are also suitable (definitely try and source southern calamari).
2. Cut open the calamari body to make a flat piece (this process might be already done during the cleaning phase). On the inside of the calamari bodies, make some light, diagonal cuts going in one direction. Turn them around and make the same cut crosswise to obtain a diamond shape. It's very important not to cut all the way through the calamari meat, it should be just an incision. Cut the calamari into 5 cm pieces. This cutting technique allows the calamari to curl up when you cook it. Separate each tentacle and cut them about 2.5 cm in length. Place in a bowl and toss with a drizzle of vegetable oil.
3. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, make a light score on the inside in the same way as the calamari bodies. Cut the capsicum into batons. Place the zucchini and capsicum in a bowl, add the garlic and thyme sprigs, then season with salt and add a generous glug of olive oil.
4. Cook the zucchini and capsicum on the hot grill, turning occasionally until golden and tender. Once cooked, cut the zucchini in large pieces and discard the thyme. Place in large bowl with the capsicum.
5. Grill the calamari bodies, scored side down until golden, then turn and cook for another minute or until they curl up. Grill the tentacles, turning occasionally for 2 - 3 minutes or until golden. Once cooked, add the calamari to the zucchini and the capsicum, season with ponzu and toss together. Add the dill and lime juice to taste.
6. Spread the yoghurt in the centre of a sharing plate, arrange the calamari, zucchini and capsicum on top, then garnish with some more dill and a few wedges of lime. Finish with a dollop of salmon roe.

 

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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