I’ve made the Mario Batali’s recipe for grilled eggplant (using all kinds of eggplant) something of a classic in our kitchen; and this alternative to using an oven in the preparing small squid, bodies and tentacles (a lot of tentacles in this instance) is approaching the same status.

They’re both delicious, and each of the formulas is open to variations.

 

• three quarters of a pound of small cleaned squid, bodies and tentacles from Blue Moon Fish, marinated for about half an hour (half of that time in the refrigerator) in a bowl with a mixture of zest and juice of an organic lemon from Whole Foods, thinly-sliced garlic from Whole Foods, olive oil, pungent dried Italian oregano from Buon Italia, salt, and pepper, then removed from the marinade and pan-grilled briefly over high heat, arranged on plates, sprinkled with fresh lemon juice and a mix of some chopped parsley from Stokes Farm and chopped lovage from Keith’s Farm [the basic recipe, with more specific instructions appears here]
• three small Japanese eggplants from Lani’s Farm, split lengthwise, scored, brushed with a mixture of oil, finely-chopped garlic from Whole Foods, and chopped Thai Basil from Norwich Meadows Farm (I had no fresh oregano, which is specified in the recipe, and, besides, I was already using dry in the squid), then seasoned with salt and pepper, pan-grilled, turning once, sprinkled with chopped milkweed buds from Down Home Acres [the basic recipe is here‘
• the wine was an Italian (Sardinia) white, La Cala Vermentino di Sardegna 2014
• the music was Handel’s ‘Riccardo Primo‘ [Richard I], with Les Talens Lyriques directed by Christophe Rousset