Preparation

Whisk lemon zest and juice, garlic, rigani and 60 ml oil in a bowl. Reserve one-third in a separate bowl, cover and set aside. Toss calamari hoods and tentacles with remaining marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
To make saganaki, cut cheese into 4 x 1.5 cm-thick rectangles. Dip each piece in water, shake off excess then dust with flour. Heat oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add cheese and cook for 3 minutes each side or until golden. Add ouzo, remove from heat and ignite. Drizzle with lemon juice and keep warm.
To make salad, combine tomato, cucumber, onion and olives in a bowl. Whisk oil and oregano until combined. Drizzle over salad and toss gently to combine.
Drain calamari and season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a chargrill pan over high heat and cook calamari, basting halfway with reserved marinade, for 3 minutes each side or until golden.
Transfer to a plate and serve with fried saganaki, Greek salad, lemon wedges, souvlaki bread, black olives and pickled peppers.

Ingredients

  • 1 lemon, zested, juiced
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp rigani (Greek oregano) or regular oregano
  • 80 ml (⅔ cup) extra virgin olive oil
  • 16 (about 800 g) baby calamari, cleaned, skin removed, tentacles reserved
  • lemon wedges, souvlaki bread, black olives and peperoncini (pickled peppers), to serve
  • Fried saganaki
  • 400 g kefalograviera or kasseri
  • 35 g (⅔ cup) plain flour
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp ouzo or other white spirit
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • Greek salad
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 Lebanese cucumber, chopped
  • 1 small red onion, sliced into rings
  • 40 g (¼ cup) Kalamata olives
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano