TO PAIR WITH Avondale Anima 2014
Pickled squid, watermelon, watercress and olive tapenade salad
Ingredients
- 500g squid
DASHI
- 250ml (1 cup) water
- 150ml soya sauce
- 150ml rice wine vinegar
- 15g palm sugar, grated (available at woolworths.co.za)
- 20g ginger, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 5 slices smoked streaky bacon
- 1 stick kombu (available at Asian supermarkets)
- 15g bonito flakes (available at Asian supermarkets)
OLIVE TAPENADE
- 100g Kalamata olives, pitted
- 2 anchovies
- ¼ garlic clove, peeled
- 50ml olive oil
PONZU DRESSING
- 50ml ponzu
- 150ml olive oil
TO ASSEMBLE
- 200g watercress, washed and picked
- ¼ watermelon, pips removed and cut into medium cubes
- cucumber, peeled and ribboned using a vegetable peeler
Instructions
For the squid, wash and clean the squid tubes, reserving the tentacles for deep-frying. Score the squid in a criss-cross pattern using a very sharp knife. Blanch the squid in salted boiling water, 5 seconds and set aside until needed.
For the dashi, combine all of the ingredients, except the kombu and bonito flakes, in a saucepan. Bring to a boil , then remove from heat. Add the kombu and bonito, and cover with cling film. Leave to cool completely and place in the fridge. Once chilled, strain through a sieve and discard the bits. Place the squid in the chilled dashi and leave to marinate, 20 minutes.
For the tapenade, blitz all of the ingredients together, except the garlic, together to form a rough tapenade. Finely crush the garlic and stir it through the tapenade.
Combine the ponzu and olive oil and set the dressing aside until needed.
To assemble, divide the salad ingredients equally among serving plates and drizzle over the ponzu dressing.
Recipe and styling by Eric Bulpitt
Photograph by Bruce Tuck
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
