Chef's Recipes

Barbecued calamari with chickpeas and preserved lemon (Calamares asado)

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for Barbecued calamari with chickpeas and preserved lemon (Calamares asado.)

  • 45 mins preparation
  • 1 hr 10 mins cooking plus soaking
  • Serves 4
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Barbecued calamari with chickpeas and preserved lemon (Calamares asado)
"The barbecued seafood at Porteño rocks, especially the calamari. Would you ask the chefs for their recipe?"
Harvey Read, Erskineville, NSW
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Ingredients

  • 285 gm dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water, drained (1½ cups)
  • 6 cleaned calamari (about 12cm long)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups (loosely packed) watercress
  • 2 long green chillies, seeds removed, thinly sliced
  • ½ preserved lemon, rinsed, flesh discarded, rind finely chopped
  • 50 ml each extra-virgin olive oil and Sherry vinegar
  • 80 gm plain yoghurt (½ cup)
Sofrito
  • 6 long red chillies, seeds removed, coarsely chopped
  • 2 banana chillies, seeds removed, coarsely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 40 gm canned black beans, drained (2 tbsp)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 80 ml Sherry vinegar (1/3 cup)
  • 60 gm light palm sugar, crushed

Method

Main
  • 1
    Cook chickpeas in a saucepan of boiling water over medium-high heat until tender (50 minutes-1 hour), drain and set aside.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, for sofrito, process chillies, garlic and black beans in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add chilli mixture, reduce heat to low and stir occasionally until dark in colour (30-35 minutes). Add cumin, stir to combine. Transfer to a food processor, add vinegar and sugar, process until smooth and season to taste.
  • 3
    Heat sofrito in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chickpeas, cook until warmed through (5-8 minutes), season to taste and keep warm.
  • 4
    Heat a barbecue or grill to high heat. Combine calamari and oil in a bowl, season to taste and char-grill, turning once, until just cooked (2-3 minutes). Set aside to rest (1 minute), then slice into 1cm strips.
  • 5
    Combine watercress, chilli and preserved lemon rind in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and season to taste.
  • 6
    Spoon chickpea mixture over platter, scatter calamari over, drizzle with yoghurt, scatter watercress salad over and serve.

Notes

Note You'll need to begin this recipe a day ahead. This recipe is from the January 2012 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

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