Berber Squid Salad

A recipe graciously provided by Amanda Gale, head chef of Cy'An at the Metropolitan in Bangkok, after much hinting on my part. So much is going on but in a very delicate way. The best part of the recipe is the home-made harissa which needs to be really smooth.

fresh squid-60 gr per portion (best to get smaller & delicate with thinner skin)

red onions very thinly sliced

picked coriander, parsley, mint & rocket

shaved fennel (slice thru a mandolin)

orange segments (eliminate skins)

toasted sliced almonds

harissa (see below)

orange dressing (see below)

harissa

400 ml olive oil

1 kg red peppers, seeded & cut into large dice

200 gr red chili, de-seeded

100 gr garlic, bruised

25 gr cumin seed, roast & ground

50 gr coriander seed, roast & ground

50 gr fennel seed, roast & ground

2 large tomatoes roasted in oven, skin removed

40 gr palm sugar

40 gr fish sauce

salt

orange vinaigrette

300 ml orange juice

1 lemon juiced

2 drops orange blossom waters

300 ml EVOO

S&P

1. make the harissa: a) put peppers, oil & salt into a large pan and start to cook until the peppers are translucent, 40 minutes; b) add garlic & chili to pan and dry on the side; c) roast & grind spices & pass through fine sieve; d) reduce heat & add spices and stir until they release their perfume; e) add palm sugar & caramelize; then add fish sauce, taste & make sure not to sweet or salty; f) add tomatoes and cook down for another 15 mins; g) blend in a vita-prep blender until very smooth smooth paste
2. make the orange vinaigrette: a) place orange juice in pot and reduce by 1/3; b) whisk in lemon juice, orange blossom waters, EVOO & season
3. when two above ingredients ready, take a very sharp knife and cut into 2/3 of the depth in a criss-cross pattern, very fine lines close together
4. mix some harissa & orange vinaigrette together except the almonds to form a dressing consistency (some emulsification)
   
5. on a plate (s) put all the salad ingredients together except the almonds, drizzle with vinaigrette
6. put squid in bowl & dress with vinaigrette, then toss over salad
7. garnish with sliced almonds