{"id":6655,"date":"2025-02-23T05:49:04","date_gmt":"2025-02-22T18:49:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/?p=6655"},"modified":"2025-02-23T05:59:56","modified_gmt":"2025-02-22T18:59:56","slug":"salt-and-pepper-squid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dinnertimesomewhere.com\/index.php\/appetizers-and-snacks-recipes\/seafood-appetizers\/salt-and-pepper-squid\/","title":{"rendered":"Salt and Pepper Squid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This westernized Asian appetizer is packed full of punchy flavor that is sure to please! Our simple Salt and Pepper Squid recipe is loaded with spice and yet is so balanced that everyone will enjoy its pleasant flavors. The Squid is lightly coated in Flour and then fried until golden-brown and tender. The seasoning is a beautiful combination of Black Peppercorns, Szechuan Peppercorns, and, of course, Salt! We finish this wonderful appetizer off with a delicious topping mixture of Garlic, Chili, and Scallions for a delicious flavor, texture, and appearance. It\u2019s a simple dish to make, showcasing the versatility and amazing flavors of the Squid

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Jump to Recipe<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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How to Prepare Squid for Frying<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Squid is a wonderfully versatile protein and offers a light alternative to other popular Seafood ingredients. For a classic Salt and Pepper Squid you can use both the fleshy head of the Squid as well as the tentacles. In fact, if you can get a whole Squid we highly recommend using both. The contrasting textures if the different parts of the Squid work great in this dish

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\"Squid
Cut the Squid into chunks and score with a sharp knife. This will ensure the Squid is super-tender once cooked<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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I would highly recommend asking your Fish Monger to prepare the Squid for you. You can do it at home yourself, but it\u2019s much easier to get them to do it for you. There will be less waste, and it\u2019ll save you a lot of time! There\u2019s some membrane that needs to be removed, some guts, and a cartilage \/ bone that also needs to be discarded

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Once you\u2019ve got your Squid, you want to cut the flesh into large bite-sized pieces. They don\u2019t need to be uniform shapes or anything, just get them cut up so they will be easy to cook evenly. The next step is very important: you must score the Squid pieces with a sharp knife. Make some diagonal diamond-shaped cuts in the flesh of the Squid. Just cut through lightly and avoid cutting through completely

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Scoring the Squid will help the Squid to cook more evenly and be more tender. Squid can notoriously be a tough protein to cook, but that only happens if the flesh isn\u2019t scored, and it is overcooked. Simply score the skin and avoid overcooking it and you\u2019ll have a delicious, tender fried Squid to enjoy!

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\"Ground
We recommend using a Mortar and Pestle to grind the Peppercorns finely. They will stick better to the Squid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Use a Mortar and Pestle to grind the Peppercorns<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Squid is coated in a wonderfully spiced Peppercorn mixture before being breaded and fried. We use a combination of Black Peppercorns and Szechuan Peppercorns for our Salt and Pepper Squid. This gives a wonderful \u2018tingly\u2019 flavor to the dish, along with that rich, spicy flavor from the Black Peppercorns

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Simply add about 1 tbsp. each of Black and Szechuan Peppercorns to a Mortar and Pestle and grind them up until a smooth powder forms. You want the Peppercorns to be ground relatively fine, as this will help them coat the Squid evenly. Once done, add some Salt and then coat the Squid using about half the mixture. The remaining Peppercorn mixture is used at the end of the dish for our seasoning \/ topping

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\"Crispy
After 1 minute of frying in Oil the Salt and Pepper Squid will be perfectly cooked and crispy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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You can shallow fry or deep fry the Squid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This step is up to you. Personally, I prefer to deep fry the Squid in a saucepan filled with Neutral Oil. Ensuring the Squid is completely submerged in Oil will guarantee an even cook, and keep the coating completely covering the Squid

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It does require a bit more Oil to do so. Just fill enough Oil in a Saucepan so that the Squid will be submerged and heat it to around 350F. Once hot, carefully drop in the Squid and cook for 1 minute until a light golden-brown color. Remove it with a spider strainer and set aside on a raised wire rack to remove any excess Oil

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To shallow fry you will need much less Oil. Just add about \u00bd cup of Oil into a frying pan and heat over medium high heat. Once hot, drop the Squid in and cook, while stirring frequently. Just be careful to not aggressively stir the Squid as the coating may come off. Same as the deep frying approach, once cooked, remove and set on a wire rack to remove excess Oil

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\"Salt
The Garlic, Scallions, and Chili give so much flavor to this Salt and Pepper Squid dish<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Adding Garlic, Chili, and Scallions gives the Salt and Pepper Squid a wonderful flavor and fragrance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To finish the dish, use a little bit of the frying oil and heat it up in a large frying pan over high heat. Once hot, add in some freshly diced Garlic, Red Chili (include the seeds!), and finely diced Scallions. Pan from them for about 30 seconds and then return the Squid to the pan

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Along with the Squid, add the remaining Salt and Pepper mixture and give everything a nice coating. After another 30 seconds, the dish will be done! Scoop that amazing Salt and Pepper Squid into some bowls or plates and serve immediately!

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The addition of the aromatics and spices at the end will truly set this dish over the edge in terms of flavor. Even though the Squid is loaded with flavor from that Peppercorn mixture, the Garlic and Chili completely round out the dish. Scallions bring a bit more texture and color to the plate, completing this wonderful dish

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