was in Singapore that I first tried chilli-flavoured food done properly, with their trademark dish, the chilli crab. The traditional method is to roll the fish and cook in sticky chilli sauce, but for this squid recipe I prefer to deep-fry it with cornflour dusted over the top to make it lovely and crisp. Alternatively, you could chargrill it without the cornflour or fry it in a hot pan, but whichever method you use, the squid needs to be cooked as quickly as possible for best results.
SERVES 4
500g (1lb 2oz) squid, cleaned and tentacles removed
75g (3oz) cornflour
2–3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 red bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced
Sea salt and black pepper
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE
150ml (5fl oz) rice wine vinegar
100g (3½oz) caster sugar
2 red bird’s eye chillies, thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1. To make the sauce, place the vinegar, sugar, chillies and garlic in a heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens and a syrup is formed. Remove from the heat, add the coriander and shallot and set aside.
2. To prepare the squid, split each tube down the middle and lightly score the surface in a criss-cross pattern, then cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces and dust with the cornflour.
3. Place a large, non-stick wok or frying pan over a medium heat, add a little of the vegetable or sunflower oil and, frying the squid pieces in batches and using more oil as necessary, cook for about 2 minutes or until golden brown, then remove from the wok or pan and season with salt and pepper.
4. Place the squid in a serving bowl, sprinkle over the spring onions, chilli and more black pepper and serve with the dipping sauce.
CRAB WITH RAPESEED MAYONNAISE AND WATERCRESS
Often (wrongly) described as the poor man’s lobster, I personally think the flavour of crab is far better than its expensive cousin. While crab has been eaten for thousands of years, rapeseed oil is much newer. Traditionally, rapeseed was animal food, or turned into Biofuel, but some clever dick decided to press the oil from this bright yellow flower and the result is brilliant for dressings and for cooking with. It’s also much cheaper than olive oil. Rapeseed oil gives mayonnaise a nicer flavour and colour than usual.
SERVES 4
100g (3½oz) watercress
3 tbsp rapeseed oil
900g (2lb) white (or mixed white and dark) cooked crab meat (preferably Portland) or 1.3kg (3lb) cooked crab claws
Salt and black pepper
2 lemons, cut into wedges, to serve
FOR THE MAYONNAISE
3 egg yolks
2 tsp Dijon mustard
375ml (13fl oz) rapeseed oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1. First make the mayonnaise. Whisk together the egg yolks and mustard very thoroughly in a blender or in a bowl using an electric beater or hand whisk. Add the rapeseed oil drop by drop to start with and then in a steady flow, and keep blending or whisking until the mayonnaise has thickened. Add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Place the watercress in a bowl, add the rapeseed oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss together and place some on each plate along with a pile of the crab meat or a pile of crab claws. Spoon some mayonnaise on the side and serve with a couple of lemon wedges.
GRILLED BUTTERFLIED SARDINES WITH BLACK OLIVE AND HERB DRESSING
Sardines must be the world’s most commonly eaten fish and every country seems to have a famous version. I first tried them in France, aged 14. Brittany is thought to be the place where canning sardines began, and there are still masses of canneries in the area. As with most oily fish, they’re best eaten as fresh as possible. The eyes should be bright and shiny, the gills a nice red colour and the skin not dry. Removing the bones and head is easy for your fishmonger to do and will save you a load of mess and fiddling about at home.
SERVES 4
7 tbsp olive oil
12 sardines, scales removed (ask your fishmonger to remove the backbone and head)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 shallots, peeled and finely diced
2 sprigs of thyme, chopped
100g (3½oz) mixed salad leaves
Salt and black pepper
FOR THE DRESSING
30ml (1¼fl oz) red wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar 50g (2oz) pitted black olives, cut into quarters
150ml (5fl oz) rapeseed oil
4 tsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp chopped chives
1. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into a non-stick roasting tin and place the sardines on it, skin side up, then season with salt and pepper.
2. In a bowl, mix together the garlic, shallots and thyme with the remaining oil, then spoon over the top of the sardines and leave to marinate for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the grill to medium or the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas 3.
4. Place the sardines under the grill or in the oven and cook for 4–5 minutes, without turning.
5. While the sardines are cooking, make the dressing. Pour the vinegar into a bowl and add the sugar, allowing it to dissolve. Add the olives, rapeseed oil and herbs, mix together and set aside.
6. Arrange the salad leaves on individual plates, then remove the sardines from the grill or oven and place 3 on top of each portion of salad. Drizzle over the dressing and serve with crusty bread.
You may look daft buying this much salt; people may think you’re stocking up for an icy garden path. Little do they know it’s actually for this dish, one of the best ways to bring out all the flavour of sea bass. If you can’t find good bass (they are farmed now, so generally not too pricey) you can use trout.
