While most people can switch their noses at the thought of squid trough, if you dip it in batter and fry it – a common eatery specialty known as calamari – it suddenly becomes a lot in addition to attractive. Although there are different recipes and methods for preparing calamari, the basic steps and ingredients tend to be similar, if not identical.
Purchasing the head ingredient, squid, for a squid dish can be done at grocery stores that sell natural seafood or at a nearby organic seafood market. Although usually the squid is already cleaned and washed, if it is taken whole, the fishmonger may be willing to remove the tentacles, clean and wash it before buying it. Cleaned squid will generally come in two forms: whole bodies and tentacle clusters. To make a squid dish, the bodies should be sliced into thin, finger-width rounds, while the tentacle clusters can be left whole. The most important thing to remember when slicing calamari is to keep all the pieces the same size to ensure an even cooking time.
Once you’ve sliced the calamari, it’s time to coat them in the breading or batter. Which one you use will depend on the recipe you found; The most important thing to remember is to dry out all bits of moisture. Moisture can prevent the batter or breading from sticking properly to the pieces, or even cause the cooking oil to splatter, so it’s important to be careful of this step. Then you can start frying the pieces. Oil such as peanut oil or vegetable oil is perfect for frying calamari as neither will impart a dominant flavor and both can be heated at high heat without smoking.
It is critical to the success of the dish that the oil is heated to exactly the correct temperature that the recipe specifies because oil that is not hot enough will make the calamari soggy instead of crispy and crunchy. Using a thermometer designed to read oil temperature will help you monitor the ideal temperature for frying. Once the calamari is in the oil, it can only be cooked for a short period of time; usually only a minute. If left to fry for too long, it will become tough and rubbery. You know the calamari is done when it turns pale and golden. Don’t let it turn a deep golden brown as that means the calamari has been overcooked.
Once the calamari has been removed from the oil, it’s a good idea to drain it on a mesh cooling rack or paper towel to remove excess oil before serving. Finally, add a pinch of salt and pepper while it’s hot again. Calamari are best served with marinara or tartar sauce. Be sure to serve it while it’s still hot as it has a short period of time in which it stays at a perfect consistency without becoming dry.
Here is an example recipe for an exquisite fried squid:
Ingredients
3 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup promote use flour
1 bistro spoon of salt
1 bistro spoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1/2 bistro spoon freshly ground black pepper
12 squid, cleaned and sliced
1 lemon – quartered, for garnish
1 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
directions
- Preheat the oil in a skillet or deep pot. The oil should be heated to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C).
- In a medium to fantastic bowl, combine the flour, salt, oregano, cumin, stew powder and black pepper. Toss the calamari in the flour and spice mixture.
- Place squid in oil for 2 minutes most extreme until light brown. Beware of overcooking, calamari will be tough if overcooked. Dry the squid on paper towels or on a mesh cooking rack. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with lemon wedges.