Roasted squid with chickpea puree and chimichurri sauce is a very tasty and fresh second course. The squid, simply roasted, becomes more appetizing and enveloping thanks to the soft chickpea puree on which it is served.
The accompanying green sauce gives everything a decisive note of character.
A recipe that offers a different way of serving squid and an idea suitable even for warmer seasons to enjoy legumes.
Moreover, the only added fat source in the recipe is extra virgin olive oil, which we all know to be extremely healthy.
The chimichurri sauce, prepared raw with aromatic herbs and spices, will surprise you: a mix of aromas that enhances the flavor of fish or meat, roasted or grilled, but also simply boiled.
The combinations of fish and legumes, not very common in our Italian cuisine, may raise some doubts, but my advice is, as always, to try it out to discover how even the simplest ingredients, when mixed together, can offer us dishes that are both visually pleasing and delicious!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 4 squid (fresh or thawed)
- 0.9 oz parsley
- 1 garlic (large)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried hot chili peppers
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or thyme)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8.8 oz cooked, boiled chickpeas (drained)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vegetable stock (from chickpea cooking)
Tools
- Cutting board
- Kitchen knife
- Blender / Mixer
- Cast iron grill or griddle
Preparation
To prepare the roasted squid with chickpea puree and chimichurri sauce, start with the sauce.
Wash the parsley, pat it dry with paper towels, and chop it finely on a cutting board with a vegetable knife.
Do the same with the garlic clove.
Further chop half a teaspoon of dried hot chili pepper.
Combine these three ingredients in a small bowl and add the oregano, fine salt, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and stir to mix everything.
Traditionally, this sauce is made by chopping everything with a knife to maintain a certain texture.
If you want a more liquid and smooth sauce, you can use a blender instead.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, but preferably overnight.
Longer resting times allow the aromas to be better released and blend with each other.
For the chickpea puree for the roasted squid with chickpea puree and chimichurri sauce, place the cooked chickpeas (for the recipe click here) and drained with the juice of half a small lemon, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a few tablespoons of chickpea cooking liquid in the blender, but just enough to get a well-blended but rather dense mixture.
If using precooked canned chickpeas, add water and not the liquid they are stored in.
Now take care of the squid.
Clean the squid by separating the head from the body and removing the cartilage inside.
Then remove the innards, ink sac, and beak. Remove the skin from the body by pulling off the fins attached to the top.
Cut the squid in your preferred way, either into rings for a more striking presentation or butterfly style and cook on a hot cast iron grill or griddle.
Do not overcook them to prevent them from becoming rubbery. So depending on the size of the pieces cut, turn off the heat as soon as they are cooked.
On the serving plate, place spoonfuls of puree, top them with a squid ring, or with a fin, and pour some drops of green sauce on top.
Serve the squid as soon as they are off the heat.
The roasted squid with chickpea puree and chimichurri sauce is now ready.
Storage
It’s best to consume the assembled dish immediately. The puree keeps well in the fridge for about 3 days. The same goes for the chimichurri sauce.
It’s best to consume the assembled dish immediately. The puree keeps well in the fridge for about 3 days. The same goes for the chimichurri sauce.
Here’s a selection of excellent products useful in the kitchen. Many of these have been personally purchased and tested by me. The list will be constantly updated.
To view the recommended products click here.
To view the recommended products click here.
