Grilled squid with asian slaw & hoisin barbecue sauce

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
MMMMM+++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++SQUID+++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++
5 pounds Squid, uncleaned OR
2½ pounds Squid, cleaned
1 tablespoon Sesame oil
Salt; to taste
Pepper; to taste
MMMMM+++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++ASIAN SLAW+++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++-
1 pounds Green or red cabbage; julienned in strips about 5\" long & 1/4\" wide
½ large Bell pepper, red; julienne
2 larges Scallions, cut on sharp bias
½ cup Rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Ginger, fresh; finely grated
1 tablespoon Sesame seeds, toasted in a single layer in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes
1 tablespoon Sesame oil
Salt; to taste
Pepper; to taste
MMMMM++++++++++++++++++++++H OISIN BARBECUE SAUCE++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++
6 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
6 tablespoons Catsup
2 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

Directions

YIELD: 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

If you have bought uncleaned squid, clean it as follows: Remove the head with the tentacles from the body. Peel the thin outer membrane from the body. Pull the inner cartilage from the body (This is a single piece that looks like plastic). Discard but save the body.

Cut the tentacles off below the eye and remove the hard pebble-like sphere that remains inside the tentacles. Reserve the tentacles.

Wash the body thoroughly. It should remain in a bag shape after washing. Rub the squid with the sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside while you prepare the slaw. Slaw: In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, red pepper, and scallions. In a separate bowl, vigorously blend all of the remaining ingredients together. Just before serving time combine the cabbage mixture with the dressing and mix well. This rather pungent salad is a good foil for the squid and continues the dish's Eastern inspiration. It should be dressed as close to dinner time as possible so the cabbage stays crisp in contrast to the softness of the squid. Sauce: Combine all of the ingredients, blending well. This sauce keeps 3 weeks, covered, in the refrigerator. FINAL PREPARATION: OK, let's move on out to the grill, with the cabbage mixture and dressing in separate bowls ready to go, the cleaned squid in one hand and a beer in the other. Now make one more trip back to the kitchen for the Hoisin Barbecue Sauce. (Or, if you're really dexterous, you can balance the beer bottle under your chin and take everything out at once. A goal to aspire to as the summer progresses.) You should have your squid body and tentacles oiled and slated and peppered on a plate nearby; you need to have your Hoisin Barbecue Sauce and brush; you'll need to have some tongs; and of course you need to have one clean, washed brick, covered with foil. Now a brick is not generally considered a key kitchen tool but it plays a major role here in enforcing the principle that quick, high- temperature cooking makes for tender tasty squid. The size of your squid will determine how many bodies go on the grill per round.

If you have squid with 4- to 5-inch bodies, you can get 3 or 4 on at once. The idea here is that the squid bodies go on the grill and the brick goes on the bodies. Over a hot fire, cook the bodies 1½ to 2 minutes per side. Then remove the brick, slap a coat of Hoisin Barbecue Sauce on the bodies use your tongs to roll them around on the grill for 30 seconds more, then remove them. Repeat this process for the rest of the bodies. For the tentacles, you won't need the brick. Just cook them for about 2 minutes, using the tongs to roll them around on the grill, so they are evenly cooked. You are looking for the tentacles to get brown and crispy. When both the tentacles and bodies are cooked, brush a little more sauce on the bodies and slice them in ¼-inch slices so that they look like little rings.

Serve the extra Hoisin Barbecue Sauce as a dipping sauce and encourage your guests to try the squid and slaw together. If you have any leftovers, this dish is ideal for a cold salad, the next day. At the end of this meal, just drop the leftover squid into the slaw. The dressing acts as a marinade that prevents the squid from toughening up and the next day you have a chilled grilled squid salad. From The Thrill Of The Grill by Chris Schlesinger & John Willoughby Copyright 1990

Submitted By SAM WARING On 10-08-94

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