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Cuttlefish in a mint dressing with grilled watermelon, spiced almonds and radish salad

Prep time less than 30 mins
Cook time less than 30 mins
Serves 4
From Saturday Kitchen
This light, summery dish would make a real showstopper starter or light lunch. If you can’t get hold of cuttlefish, you can use squid or octopus instead.

Method


  1. Clean and wash the cuttlefish. Remove the bone and open up the body. Remove the ink sac and discard or use for another recipe. Remove the guts and skin. Wash and dry the white flesh and then cut into 3mm/â…›in thick strips.

  2. Finely slice the mint, removing the thick central vein. Mix with the vinegar and stir in the olive oil. Set aside.

  3. Heat a griddle pan and grill the melon until deeply coloured.

  4. Using a spice grinder or a small food processor, blend the spices and salt together. Stir in the lemon zest.

  5. Put the sugar into a heavy-based pan and heat until it forms a light golden-brown caramel. Add the spice mix, butter and flaked almonds. Stir well and drizzle with a teaspoon of lemon juice. Pour onto a tray and set aside to cool. Once cool chop roughly.

  6. Pick and reserve the radish leaves. Wash and slice the radishes and place in ice-cold water until ready to serve.

  7. Heat a non-stick pan. Dress the cuttlefish in the mint dressing, then fry in the pan until lightly coloured. Once cooked, return the cuttlefish to the dressing.

  8. To serve, place the cuttlefish on serving plates. Add the melon, radishes and caramelised almonds. Garnish with edible flowers, radish leaves and freshly grated almond.

Ingredients

  • 10 fresh mint leaves
  • 50ml/2fl oz Chardonnay vinegar
  • 2 tbsp light olive oil
  • ¼ watermelon, peeled, seeds removed and flesh cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
  • 8g chilli flakes
  • 2g black pepper
  • 2g cumin seeds
  • 2g coriander seeds
  • 2g fenugreek seeds
  • 2g rock salt
  • 1 unwaxed lemon, zest only, plus 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 10g/¼oz caster sugar
  • small knob unsalted butter
  • 50g/2oz toasted flaked almonds
  • 8 radishes, with leaves (preferably French breakfast)
  • 1 cuttlefish, cleaned and prepared (ask your fishmonger to do this for you), cut into 3mm/â…›in thick strips
  • spicy edible flowers (such as nasturtium)
  • 2 whole peeled almonds, grated

Shopping List

Cuttlefish in a mint dressing with grilled watermelon, spiced almonds and radish salad

Fruit and vegetables

Cooking ingredients

Dairy, eggs and chilled

Meat, fish and poultry


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