Recipe: Renovation Respite Calamari Salad (microwave)

RENOVATION RESPITE CALAMARI SALAD

3/4 pound squid, cleaned and sliced into thin rings
3 center celery stalks with leaves, thinly sliced diagonally and leaves left whole
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
A few thinly sliced circles of lemon, seeds removed, peel on
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
16 oil-cured black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley

Toss together squid, celery, onion, pepper, tomato, lemon and garlic in a 1-quart souffle dish. Cover tightly with microwave-safe plastic wrap, making sure plastic hovers at least 1 inch above ingredients.

Microwave at 100 percent for 2 minutes 30 seconds, stopping to shake the dish once. Carefully peel off plastic and check. Calamari are done when just opaque, with a yielding, chewy bite. If they're not ready, cover and zap 1 minute more. Repeat until calamari are just cooked through.

Cool slightly. Pour off liquid collected in the bottom of the dish. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Serves 4
Adapted from source: Microwave Gourmet by Barbara Kafka