Simplicity - Grilled, Marinated Calamari Salad

Every season there is at least one dish I make for the first time then repeat over and over again. What can I say? I'm a creature of habit. Once I find something I like, I see no problem with enjoying it multiple times, often in quick succession. My high school and college friends can attest; I ate the same lunch almost every day for a year at a time. This doesn't mean I don't like variety, and that's what's so beautiful about all the fresh Summer Salads you see here today.

Lemon Marinated then Grilled Calamari, Greenleaf and Florida Lettuce, Thin Sliced Radishes, Nectarines, Cucumbers, Grilled Corn,  Vidalia Onion with a Lemon Vinaigrette. Photo: NK 

Marinated & Grilled Flank Steak Over Peaches, Radishes, Greenleaf And Florida Lettuce, Shaved Zucchini,
Fresh Sliced and Fried Shallots and a Parsley Garnish Photo: NK

While the Grilled Calamari Salad Recipe we will share below was the clear winner, we enjoyed several other protein variations (with Shrimp and even Marinated Flank Steak) throughout the course of this summer season. Turns out that almost any well cooked (ideally a little charred) grilled item tastes amazing over fresh, seasonal and, best of all ,colorful summer produce. 

So I know you're with me in declaring 2016 "The Summer of Salad." 

You see, I love vegetables. I love them as much or more than meat and fish, but that doesn't mean I want to have to choose. Creating easy yet elegant lunches and dinners using salad as a base is a great way to lighten up summer fare and highlight the best produce the season has to offer. Plus, if you're into the low carb thing, (no pasta?) this sure does the trick!

Below you'll find plenty of ingredient inspiration for a few of our favorite summer lunch salads plus the recipe for the Simply Grilled, Marinated Calamari that starred in so many fantastic meals. 

Note: All of the salads you see bleow are lightly dressed with a simple Lemon (or Orange) Vinaigrette (below). For the Orange variation just sub out all Lemon ingredients with Orange Juice and Zest in Equal Measure and add a drop or two of Vinegar to taste. 

Simple Lemon Vinaigrette
Recipe By Epicurious

Grilled Calamari (Marinated in Orange & OIive Oil), Oranges, Redleaf and
Greenleaf Lettuce,  Purple Cherokee Heirloom Tomatoes, 
Radicchio, Black Olives, Radishes, Photo: NK 

Prepping the Marinated Flank Steak Salad - Sliced Peaches, Thin Sliced Radishes,
Raw Zucchini Shaved on a Vegetable Peeler
Photo: NK 

Simply Marinated & Grilled Calamari

Serves 2-3 atop a salad of your choice 

Ingredients: 

1 Pound Cleaned Squid (Calamari), tubes and tentacles

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Zest of 1 Lemon 

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 

Salt & Pepper to Taste 

Method: 

Preheat a grill or grill pan until very hot. If using an outdoor grill place a grill pan on it to preheat (Squid will fall through the grates otherwise) 

Place Squid in a Ziploc Bag or airtight container. Add marinade ingredients and let sit in the fridge 30 minutes to a half hour.

Place Squid on a hot grill pan and cook until golden in parts, a few minutes per side. Squid will be opaque, firm but not rubbery. Serve over Vinaigrette Dressed salad, plus a little Salt to taste, and enjoy! 

A Simple Seafood Starter - Cilantro Scallops On Tortilla Chips

File today's tasty morsel under appetizers that practically make themselves. 
Marcela Vallodolid's genius Cilantro Scallops recipe begins with a boldly flavored, Latin-inspired marinade that imparts just enough punch to sweet Sea Scallops.

Cilantro Marinated Scallops, Photo: NK 

Our twist: I opted to let the scallops sit, marinating in the fridge, longer than specified (to great results, I might add) and then, following the recipe exactly, seared them on a blazing hot grill for just minutes, before being serving them on a sturdy tortilla chip that lends a homey twist to what is normally an elegant seafood splurge. 

The easy marinade, Photo: NK

Adaptable to a grill or indoor grill pan, why not live it up while those sultry summer nights are still with us? Add an easy main (we went with our favorite Fish Tacos), and you have yourself a fabulous fish feast.




Marinate these Scallops for a few hours to really maximize their flavor. 3 hours was just perfect, and while more is probably not needed, less would be fine too. Make yourself a nice cocktail like our Paloma-rita while you wait.


CHEERS!

The easiest of the not-too-sweet margs - the Grapefruit-based Paloma-rita!
Photo: NK 

MISSION: FIGS - In Season & Ready To Eat

Mission Figs (come into season in June), Photo: NK

So much of my weekly menu-making is dictated by what looks fresh and in season at the market. When I am not ordering the heck out of the great produce often available at Freshdirect.com, I am perusing the aisles at specialty stores and, when I can, farm stands. Nothing brings me inspiration faster than grabbing a good lookin' ingredient and building a menu around it. 

Entire food movements swing on this very basic principle, and you don't need to be a serious home cook to benefit from using it yourself. 

Next time you have the urge to create something in the kitchen, try starting with whatever item calls to you, and build and research what you'll do with it from there. With the internet at all of our fingertips, there's never been an easier time to get creative. Today's ingredient muse is in-season Figs, just now appearing on the scene at stores everywhere. The world of figs is a wide one, but we'll be using the well known Mission Fig variety. 

Beautifully ripe, Photo: NK 

With these beauties ready for prime time, I decided I'd turn them into a very simple yet flavorful salad using just a few ingredients. Peppery Arugula would be a great foil for the sweetness of the Figs. A mellow mix of Balsamic Vinegar,Olive Oil, and a bit of Dijon Mustard serves both as a marinade for the Figs and a light dressing to tie the greens together. Shaved Parmgiana curls provide the salty counterpoint. Let your figs sit for thirty minutes in the marinade, and from there, this 4-ingredient salad makes itself. Dress it just before serving and enjoy (and never forget to let the season inspire you!). 

Marinated Fig & Arugula Salad, Photo: NK 

Marinated Fig & Arugula Salad
Loosely adapted from Southern Living
Serves 4 

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 teaspoons Agave or Honey
1 teaspoon Grainy Dijon Mustard
A few pinches of Salt
A few pinches of Black Pepper
8 Ripe Figs, sliced in half (we opted for Mission Figs)  

1/8 Lb Parmigiana Cheese, shaved into curls 
5 Ounces Wild Arugula (Rocket), hand torn
1/4 Small Red Onion, very thinly sliced

Method:
1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the Figs, gently stir, and allow the Figs to sit in the Marinade 30 Minutes. 

2. In another bowl, combine the Arugula with the sliced Red Onion. When Marinating has finished, spoon out a 2 to 3 Tablespoons of the Marinade onto the Arugula. Toss slowly and add additional dressing as needed, taking care not to overdress salad and make it soggy.

3. To serve, plate the arugula down the middle of each bowl. Place 4 of the marinated figs on each portion or to the side of it. Finish with shavings of Parmigiana cheese and some extra Black Pepper. Serve immediately.