Baby squid is hugely underrated in New Zealand but is one of the most versatile and economical seafoods available. In the video Bevan shows you how to prepare this simple dish, including how to prepare the squid from scratch, which is the secret to super fresh squid every time.

Ingredients:

Whole fresh or frozen squid (including tentacles and tail fins)

Cold water for cleaning

Fresh rocket (50g per person)

1 fresh chilli (use half if it’s a hot variety)

1–2 lemons (depending on juiciness)

60ml of good finishing olive oil

Salt (2 pinches to start)

Black pepper (4-5 good cracks)

Chilli Oil Dressing:

Finely dice the chilli, avoiding the seeds to control heat.

Juice 1–2 lemons into a bowl (about 50/50 lemon juice to olive oil ratio).

Add 60ml of olive oil, two pinches of salt, and several cracks of black pepper. Mix well until balanced.

Assembling the Salad:

Plate around 50g of rocket per person.

Add the cooked squid on top of the rocket.

Drizzle with the chilli oil dressing, spooning it over the squid and rocket.

Optionally, add extra lemon juice to taste.

Seared Squid with Chilli, Rocket and Lemon is one of Bevan’s favourite seafood dishes, and perfect for cooking when the weather heats up.

Enjoy!