Calamari Fritti (Tyler Florence) |
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Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 3 Minutes |
Ready In: 23 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Ingredients:
1 pound whole squid, cleaned |
1 cup milk |
1 large egg |
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped |
canola oil, for frying |
2 cups all-purpose flour |
2 teaspoons paprika |
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper |
lemon wedges, for serving |
smoked jalapeno aioli, for dipping, recipe follows |
tomato-basil sauce, for dipping, recipe follows |
Directions:
1. Rinse the squid under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the body of the squid into 1/2-inch rings and trim the tentacles as necessary. Combine the milk, egg, and basil leaves in a bowl; mix with a fork until lightly beaten. Put the prepared calamari in the milk mixture and stick it in the refrigerator while getting everything else set up; it fries better if marinated and chilled for about 15 minutes. 2. Pour about 2 inches of oil in a fryer or large, heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F. Mix the flour and paprika in a pie dish or plate; season with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Toss the calamari in the seasoned flour to coat. Fry for 1 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and salt, to taste. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and dipping sauces. 3. Smoked Jalapeno Aioli: 4. 1 cup mayonnaise 5. 1 to 2 canned chipotle chile in adobo 6. 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped 7. 1/2 lemon, juiced 8. 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley 9. Pinch salt 10. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend for 1 minute to combine. Set aside to allow the flavors to marry. Serve as a dipping sauce with fried calamari. 11. Yield: 1 cup 12. Tomato-Basil Sauce: 13. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 14. 2 garlic cloves, minced 15. 4 fresh basil leaves, hand-torn 16. 1 (16-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 17. Pinch sugar 18. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 19. Coat a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the oil and warm over medium heat. Add the garlic and basil; cook, stirring, until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining olive oil. Serve as a dipping sauce with fried calamari. 20. Yield: 2 cups |
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