Beer Batter Frito Misto Food

FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• For the sauce: Combine the basil, pistachios, olive oil, lemon zest and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until roughly pureed. Remove the contents to a small bowl and stir in the mayonnaise and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season with the salt.
• For the seafood: Fill a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven with 3 inches of oil and heat to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk together the rice flour, cornstarch, polenta, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Working in batches, dredge the shrimp and calamari in the flour mixture and add to the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan and drop the temperature. Fry until light golden brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spider to remove the seafood to a paper towel-lined tray and season with a pinch of salt. Continue with the remaining shrimp and calamari. Serve hot alongside the pesto dipping sauce and lots of lemon wedges.

FRITTO MISTO WITH TWO MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Sauce:
• Whisk together mustards, vinegar, mustard seeds, and shallots. Add salt, to taste.
• Batter:
• Grind the rice in a blender until very fine. In a bowl, stir together the ground rice, semolina, flour, salt, and pepper.
• Fritto Misto:
• Heat several inches of oil to 375 degrees F in a deep fryer or a wide, deep, heavy pot. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
• Slit the calamari bodies open so they lie flat. Place calamari (bodies and tentacles), mushrooms, fennel, and lemon in separate bowls. Toss each with enough buttermilk to moisten them. Dip the calamari generously in the rice batter, using enough to fully coat.
• Working in batches (it's important not to overcrowd the pot), fry until golden brown and crisp, and then transfer to a tray lined with paper towels. Season immediately with salt. Transfer to a low oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining calamari.
• Coat and fry the mushrooms, fennel, and lemon slices in the same way, working in batches and transferring them to the low oven as they are done.
• Put a generous pool of mustard sauce on each plate, then top with an assortment of fried squid, mushrooms, fennel, and lemon.

FRITO MISTO

Steps:

• Preheat a fryer or steep-sided pan, with 1-inch of canola oil, to 375 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine the seafood, egg whites and caperberries. Blend the cornstarch and flours together in a deep bowl. In a mesh basket add the fish, making sure to shake off the excess egg whites. Add the fish to the flour mixture, coating thoroughly. Carefully transfer the fish to the fryer basket and submerge them in the hot oil. Let cook, shaking the basket every so often, so that they will not stick together, until golden brown and crispy. Be careful of the splattering oil.
• Drain on paper towels and season with sea salt. Transfer the fish to a serving platter and garnish with lemon wedges.

BEER BATTER FOR FRITTERS

Steps:

• Into a bowl sift together flour and salt. Make a well in the center, pour in the beer and add the oil in a stream, stirring constantly until smooth. Strain the batter into another bowl and let it stand, covered with plastic for 3 hours or refrigerate overnight. Just before using, stir the batter and fold in the egg whites.;

BEST BEER BATTER

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until smooth, then whisk in beer. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and whisk until combined. Place 1 cup flour in a shallow bowl. Place a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet; set near stove.
• In a wide 6-quart pot fitted with a deep-fat or candy thermometer, heat oil to 375 degrees over medium. (The oil should bubble rapidly when a pinch of flour is added.) Working in small batches, lightly coat food in flour, then dip in batter, gently shaking off excess. Fry, turning halfway through, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch (adjust heat to maintain 375 degrees). With a slotted spoon, transfer food to rack to drain and discard any browned bits of batter. Season immediately with salt. Keep warm in a 200-degree oven.

FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• Put at least 3 inches of oil in a large, deep saucepan; a larger pan with more oil will allow you to cook more at once. Turn the heat to high and keep it there until the temperature reaches 350°F (a pinch of flour will sizzle). Then adjust the heat as necessary to maintain this temperature. While the oil is heating, prepare the vegetables.
• Make the batter: Combine 1 cup of the flour, the baking powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix lightly with a fork. Mix together the egg and wine, then stir the mixture into the batter until smooth; the mixture should be just about the consistency of pancake batter.
• Dredge each piece of food lightly in the remaining flour, then dip into the batter and add to the oil. Do not crowd the food; you will have to cook in batches. Cooking time will be just as long as it takes for the pieces to become an appealing shade of gold, just 5 minutes or so.
• Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with coarse salt, and serve immediately, with lemon wedges or aïoli.