Fritto Misto Mixed Fried Seafood With Tartar Sauce

"FRITTO MISTO" MIXED FRIED SEAFOOD WITH TARTAR SAUCE

Steps:

• For the tartar sauce: Whisk together the mayonnaise, dill pickle and brine, Worcestershire, mustard, capers and brine, hot sauce, garlic, tarragon, basil stems and lime zest and juice in a medium bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside some in a ramekin.
• For the batter: Whisk together the flour, beer, sparkling water, vodka, paprika and baking soda in a medium bowl.
• For the frying: Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a thermometer until it reaches 350 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with a cooling rack and set aside.
• Place each whole squid on a flat surface and run your knife gently down the length of the outside. Peel off the outer layer of skin and remove the piece of cartilage and anything inside the tube of the squid. Cut the tentacles from the body (below the eyes) and remove the sharp beak (which feels like a small gumball) in the center of each set of tentacles. Cut into 1/8-inch rounds. Dry the rings and tentacles on a sheet tray lined with paper towels.
• Fry the basil leaves until crispy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the oil, letting the excess drain off, and place on the cooling rack. Season with salt immediately. Fry the lemon slices until crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the excess oil, then place on paper towels and season immediately. Transfer the lemons and basil to a bowl. Replace the paper towels for the next batch.
• Place a hand strainer in the batter (to easily find pieces) and sprinkle the squid with salt. Starting with the tentacles, fully coat in the batter, then drop into the hot oil. Fry until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and salt. Repeat with the rings. Bring the oil back to 350 degrees F and dip the shrimp in the batter. Drop in small batches into the hot oil. Fry, turning on both sides with a slotted metal spoon until crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and salt.
• Transfer the tartar sauce ramekin to a medium serving bowl and arrange the fried lemons, basil leaves, squid and shrimp around it. Serve immediately.

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

Steps:

• In large shallow skillet over moderately high heat, heat 3 inches of oil until thermometer registers 350°F.
• Transfer flour to large plate. Sprinkle all seafood liberally with salt and pepper. Working in batches and returning oil to 350°F between batches, dredge seafood in flour, shaking to remove excess, and fry until golden and cooked through, about 20 seconds per side for whole fish and shrimp, 15 seconds per side for scallops and calamari. Using slotted spoon, remove as done and drain on paper towel-lined plate.
• Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately with tartar sauce.

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.

FRITTO MISTO DI MARE

Steps:

• Make the batter: Put flour and salt in a small bowl and gradually whisk in wine to obtain a smooth, lump-free mixture. Rest 30 minutes. Add seltzer just before frying.
• Near the stove, put the seasoned dredging flour in a shallow bowl. Place finished batter next to it and an empty plate next to that. Put fish and other ingredients for frying nearby.
• Put oil in a large wok or a wide, deep pot and fasten a candy thermometer to the side. Heat oil to 375 degrees.
• Working in small batches, dip a few pieces of shrimp, squid, scallop, mussels, white bait, sliced lemon and scallion first into the seasoned flour to coat lightly, then into the batter. Put battered pieces on the empty plate.
• Slip a few pieces into the hot oil and fry 3 to 4 minutes, until golden. Remove with tongs or wire spider and drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Hold fried food in a warm oven while continuing to fry. Make sure to regulate heat below wok to keep oil at correct temperature (adding too many pieces to the oil will cause it to cool.) Rid oil of debris between batches with a fine meshed skimmer.
• As soon as you have enough to serve, pile it onto a warmed platter. Sprinkle with sea salt (and crushed red pepper if desired). Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. Continue to fry in small batches.