Enjoying this salad, it won’t be hard to imagine you are in coastal Italy, sipping a glass of crisp vino bianco while enjoying a mix of fresh calamari, velvety white beans and sweet roasted peppers tossed in a citrus-and-garlic dressing.
Calamari and White Bean Salad
1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) white wine vinegar, or as needed
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. (500 g) cleaned squid, cut into bite-sized rings and tentacles
1 can (15 oz./470 g) cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
2 jarred roasted red bell peppers, cut into strips
1 cup (4 oz./125 g) thinly sliced red onion
2 Tbs. capers, rinsed
1/3 cup (2 oz./60 g) green olives, pitted and chopped
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Have ready a bowl of ice water.
In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, 1 tsp. salt and 1⁄4 tsp. pepper and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until the dressing is well blended.
Add the squid to the boiling water and cook until just tender, about 1 minute. Drain the squid and plunge into the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well and pat dry.
Add the cooked squid, beans, peppers, onion, capers and olives to the dressing and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours to allow the flavors to blend.
Just before serving, taste the salad and adjust the vinegar, salt and pepper. Divide among individual plates, garnish with parsley leaves and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Find more vibrant and versatile salads for every season in our
cookbook Salad of the Day, by Georgeanne Brennan.
 Wine Pairing
This dish pairs well with crisp, juicy, medium-bodied whites like the 2014 Bodegas Eidosela Néboa Albariño, Rias Baixas from our Wine Club. |
