Elettaria's Marinated Calamari Salad with Ginger-Carrot Vinaigrette

By Chef Akhtar Nawab

Ingredients:

• 10 whole fresh calamari
• 2 ground pepperoncini
• 2 tbs fennel seed
• 2 tbs coriander seed
• 2 limes
• 4 large carrots
• 2 oz ginger
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 cup uncooked fresh cranberry beans
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 large onion
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 bunches purslane, from the green market
• 2 whole long peppers
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf, fresh
• 1 tsp toasted coriander seed
• 3 green cardomom

Preparation:
Under cold running water, separate the tentacles from the body and discard the transparent bone from the calamari. Peel away the reddish skin and fins. Gently turn the calamari body inside out and clean and remove the intestines.  Gently cut the tentacles and remove the beak.
With a juicer, pass through the 3 carrots, ginger, and garlic and combine all the juices.

Toast the 1 tsp coriander, 3 green cardamom pods in a small pot, and add the juices.
Simmer the juice until reduced by 1/2 . While still hot, whisk in the juice of 1 lime and ¼ cup olive oil.
Toast and grind the fennel, coriander seed, and pepperoncini. Toss with the cleaned calamari and season with salt and pepper. Grill until just cooked.  Leave to cool and cut the calamari into rings ½ “ thick.
Heat a large pot, add ¼ cup of olive oil. Add the 1 carrot, celery, and the halved onion. When well browned, add the shelled and rinsed cranberry beans thyme and bay leaf.  Cover with the water and simmer.  Season the beans to taste and cook until just tender.
Pick the purslane and wash and spin dry.
Drain the cooked beans, and add the calamari.  Add the reduced vinaigrette to just coat the calamari and toss.  
Just before serving add the purslane and dress the greens.
Grate the long pepper on a microplane over the salad and the zest of a lime.  Squeeze the juice of a lime and toss.
 
Recipe yields four servings.

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