Lemon, roasted garlic, capers and roasted tomatoes all topped with tender calamari. This Grilled Calamari recipe was inspired by a Toronto restaurant that we used to visit on downtown shopping expeditions. It was the perfect lunch at a perfect restaurant.
Ingredients
Calamari
- 1 small whole calamari and tentacles /person
- olive oil to drizzle
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mediterranean Sauce
- 1/2 medium finely diced red onion
- 1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 6-8 cloves garlic roasted
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup capers
- 1 tbsp dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium tomato cut into 1/4" dice
Instructions
Gather all ingredients before starting the recipe.
Roasted Garlic
- Preheat oven to 450℉
- Place 6-8 cloves garlic in an oven proof dish. Add 1/3 cup chicken stock and 2 tbsp olive oil and cover tightly with aluminum foil and set on a sheet pan.
- Place sheet pan on the middle rack in the preheated oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.. Check after 30 minutes, the garlic should be soft. Remove roasted garlic, reserve the juices.
Sauce
- Heat 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 2 tbsp olive oil in a small skillet of over medium high heat.
- Add 1/2 medium finely diced red onion, 1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives, the zest of 1 large lemon, 1/3 cup capers, and 1 tbsp dried thyme to the small skillet. Stir to combine and sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until the onions begin to soften.
- Add the juice of one lemon and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add the roasted garlic and any juices remaining from the roasting dish to the sauce. Press the garlic with the back of a spoon to break up the roasted garlic and stir to combine.
- Add 1 medium tomato cut into 1/4" dice and gently stir to combine. Reduce heat to low. The tomatoes should just be warmed though and still hold their shape.
Calamari
- Rinse and pat dry 1 small whole calamari and tentacles /person.
- Using a pair of scissors and a wooden spoon inserted into the calamari, cut slits about 1/3" apart.
- Transfer to a platter and drizzle with olive oil and turn to cover both sides as well as the tentacles. Season well with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Preheat oven to broil.
- Transfer the calamari to a non-stick foil lined sheet pan and place it on the top rack of the oven. Broil for 3 minutes, then turn and broil for another 3 minutes. The calamari should separate into rings and start to char, allow another minute or two to get the desired color.
