Tested and Perfected by Food and Wine
Wok-Charred Squid Salad with Baby Spinach and Cashews
© David Prince

Wok-Charred Squid Salad with Baby Spinach and Cashews

Contributed by
  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 6
  • •FAST
  • •STAFF-FAVORITE

Baby spinach offers a cool, smooth contrast to the heat of the chili sauce, the tang of the lime juice and the crispness of the toasted cashews.

  1. 3/4 pound baby spinach or tatsoi (4 packed cups)
  2. 2 Belgian endives, separated into spears
  3. 1 1/2 pounds cleaned small squid, bodies sliced crosswise into 1/3-inch rings
  4. 3 tablespoons chopped mint
  5. 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  6. 1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted unsalted cashews
  7. 2 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce or other hot chili sauce
  8. Salt
  9. Vegetable oil, for stir-frying
  10. 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  11. Lime wedges, for serving
  1. Arrange the baby spinach and endive spears in 6 individual salad bowls.
  2. In a medium bowl, toss the squid with the mint, cilantro, toasted cashews and chili sauce and season with salt.
  3. Heat a wok or skillet until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and, when it begins to smoke, add one-third of the squid. Stir-fry over high heat for 10 seconds. Deglaze the skillet with 1 tablespoon of the lime juice and spoon the squid into 2 of the bowls. Repeat 2 more times with the remaining squid. Serve the salad at once, with the lime wedges.