Fried Calamari With Spicy Red Sauce Food

CRISPY FRIED CALAMARI RECIPE

Steps:

• Slice the calamari tubes into ¾-inch thick rings.
• In a medium bowl, stir 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt in ½ cup milk.
• Add the calamari rings to the milk mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne (make sure the mixture is well combined).
• Prepare a large colander and set it on top of a large bowl. Using a pair of tongs, take a portion of the calamari rings (about ½ of them) shake off excess milk and toss the calamari in the flour mixture. Toss the calamari to coat evenly. Put the coated calamari in the colander. Repeat with the rest of the calamari.
• Turn your oven on a low 150 degrees F. Prepare a large sheet pan and set a wire rack on top. Top the wire rack with paper towel.
• Heat 4 inches of grape seed oil in a small cooking pot (I used a 2.5 quart pot) to somewhere between 350 and 365 degrees F. To test your oil, drop one calamari ring, many bubbles will form around it and the calamari will begin to float.
• Once your oil is ready, using a pair of tongs, gently add some of the calamari in and fry for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the calamari from the oil and arrange it on the paper towel on top of your prepared wire rack. Immediately season with kosher salt, then transfer to your warm oven to keep warm while you work on the rest. Repeat until you have fried all the calamari.
• Transfer the fried calamari to a serving plate and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice!

PAN-SEARED CALAMARI WITH SPICY MARINARA OVER LINGUINE

Steps:

• Cook linguine according to package directions.
• Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet and a small saucepot. To both, add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add calamari to the skillet and cook 2 minutes. Then to both, add pasta sauce and crushed red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, until calamari is tender. Reserve tomato sauce in the saucepot for another meal.
• Transfer linguine to a serving platter. Spoon all of the calamari and tomato sauce over linguine. Garnish with basil, if desired.

FRIED CALAMARI WITH SPICY MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and Sriracha. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.
• Add the buttermilk to a bowl. Add the calamari, and let it soak; chill for at least 1 hour.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper and paprika. Remove the calamari from the buttermilk and dredge it in the flour mixture. Shake off the excess, and separate the rings and tentacles.
• Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a large pot; heat to 365°F. Fry the calamari, in batches, 1 minute or until done. Drain on paper towels, and serve warm with the spicy mayonnaise.

FRIED CALAMARI WITH SWEET ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sweet orange sauce: Combine the orange juice and honey in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat slightly and cook at a very brisk simmer until the mixture is syrupy and reduced to a little less than 1/2 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Let cool slightly, then whisk in the oil, lemon juice, parsley and crushed red pepper. Transfer to a ramekin or small bowl.
• For the fried calamari: Fill a large, wide pot with 1 1/2 inches oil and heat over medium-high heat until it registers 350 degrees F on a deep-frying thermometer. Line a tray with paper towels. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a wide, shallow bowl.
• Toss the squid and chiles with the flour mixture, making sure all the squid rings are separated and everything is thoroughly coated. Transfer about a third of the squid and chile mixture to a kitchen spider or slotted spoon and shake to remove the excess flour. Carefully add the squid and chiles to the hot oil and fry until crisp and just barely golden, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to the prepared tray with a slotted spoon and sprinkle generously with salt. Repeat the sifting and frying process with the remaining squid, making sure to return the oil to 350 degrees F between batches.
• Transfer to the fried squid to a plate and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with the lemon and orange wedges and the sweet orange sauce for dipping.

SPICY FRIED CALAMARI WITH LEMON AIOLI

Steps:

• For the Calamari place the flour and Cajun spice mix in a large bowl and mix. Add the squid and turn until all the pieces are thoroughly coated. Shake off the excess mixture.
• In a large, heavy pot or deep-fryer over medium heat, heat the oil to 375°F or until almost smoking.
• Fry the squid for 2 to 3 minutes, or until a light golden brown.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Serve immediately with lemon or lime wedges and Lemon Aioli.
• For the Lemon Aioli place the zest, juice, mustard, garlic, egg yolks, pepper, salt, and bread in a blender or food processor and puree to a smooth paste.
• With the machine running, drizzle in the oil. If the aioli appears too thick, add 2 tablespoons of water at a time to adjust the consistency. Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

SPICY AND GREASY RHODE ISLAND CALAMARI

Steps:

• Working Ahead:
• The squid can be cleaned (if necessary) and cut in the morning, then covered and refrigerated. The fry mix can also be made early in the day.
• Cut squid bodies into 1/2″ rings and put in a colander set over a bowl; add whole tentacles. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 6 hours).
• Fry Mix:
• Combine cornstarch, flour, cornmeal, salt, and both peppers in a large bowl and whisk well. Refrigerate if not using within an hour or two to prevent humidity from changing the mixture.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 3" of oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat (or in a deep fryer) until it registers 360° on a deep-fry thermometer.
• While oil is heating, pour buttermilk into a large bowl and drop squid into it. Stir with a Chinese wire-mesh skimmer to coat, then lift about half of squid pieces from buttermilk, allowing excess buttermilk to drip back into bowl, and drop pieces into the dry mix. Rinse and dry the wire skimmer. Toss pieces to coat evenly with the mix, then lift them out with skimmer, gently shake off excess fry mix, and transfer to a plate. Bread remaining squid. Rinse and dry skimmer.
• Heat a 10″-12″sauté pan over medium heat and add butter. Once it melts, add garlic and sauté until golden. Add drained cherry peppers and toss to combine. Turn heat down to low while you fry squid.
• When the oil is hot, carefully drop half the squid pieces into oil. If any of the pieces stick to the bottom of the pot, loosen with tongs. Turn squid occasionally to cook evenly; it will only take about 1 1/2 minutes until they are crisp and golden.
• Fry remaining squid and drain.
• Add all of fried squid to the hot pan with the garlic and sliced peppers, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and quickly and gently toss (only twice). Divide among 4 small plates and serve immediately.