Crispy Squid and Cracked Conch Salad with Orange-Chipotle Vinaigrette

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Total: 45 min
  • Prep: 20 min
  • Cook: 25 min
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Ingredients

For the Orange-Chipotle Vinaigrette:

4 cups fresh orange juice

1/2 small red onion

1 clove garlic

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons pureed chipotle in adobo

2 teaspoons honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup canola oil

For the Crispy Squid and Conch Salad:

Peanut oil

1 1/2 cups rice flour

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups cold water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound squid rings and tentacles

1 pound conch meat, cut into 1-inch pieces

Cornmeal, for dredging

1/2 pound micro greens

1/4 pound watercress

1 head frisee

4 whole cherry peppers, jarred in vinegar, thinly sliced

Parsley leaves

Directions

  1. For the Orange-Chipotle Vinaigrette:
  2. Place the orange juice in a medium nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until thick and reduced to 3/4 cup. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly.
  3. Place the reduced orange juice, onion, garlic, vinegar, chipotle puree, honey, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil until emulsified.
  4. For the Crispy Squid and Conch Salad:
  5. Fill a large saucepan halfway with the oil and heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Line a large plate or baking sheet with paper towels, set aside.
  6. Whisk together the flour and 1 1/2 cups of the water in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. The mixture should resemble crepe batter, if it is too thick; add more water a few tablespoons at a time, then season with salt and pepper.
  7. Season squid and conch with salt and pepper and working in batches, dip 1/3 of the squid in the rice flour batter and allow the excess to drip off then dredge in the cornmeal. Fry until lightly golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towel-lined plate. Season immediately with salt. Repeat with the conch, dipping into the batter then frying in batches.
  8. Place the greens in a bowl and drizzle with about 1/4 cup of the orange-chipotle vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Mound the greens on a platter and place some of the sliced cherry peppers on top. Place the squid and conch around the perimeter of the platter, drizzle all with more of the vinaigrette and garnish with parsley leaves.

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