Beer Batter Frito Misto Recipes

FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• Prepare the batter. In a mixing bowl, sift the flour and salt. Make a well in the center. Pour the olive oil and gradually beat in the water to make a smooth, thick batter. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before using, beat the egg whites until firm. Lightly fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.
• Preheat the oil to 375 degrees F.
• Thoroughly wash all the seafood in water. Drain. Dip the assorted seafood and vegetables in the prepared batter and shake off any excess batter. Cook in hot oil and fry until crisp and golden. Lift out and drain on paper towels.
• Fry the basil, sage and parsley, then drain. Sprinkle fried seafood with salt and divide onto 4 serving plates. Garnish with the fried herbs and lemon wedges. Serve immediately with Sauce Tartare.
• Combine the hard-boiled egg, capers, cornichon, anchovies, chives and parsley with the mayonnaise.
• Fold in the whipped cream. Chill and use as needed.
• Yield: 2 cups
• Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen" Houghton Mifflin, 1981.

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:

• FOR THE BATTER: Combine the flour, cornstarch, black pepper, and cayenne in a medium bowl. In a measuring cup, mix together the water and olive oil. While whisking the flour mixture, pour in the water and oil mixture in a steady stream until the mixture is just combined. It should resemble heavy cream in texture. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for at least 1 hour. Just before frying, use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. With a large rubber spatula, fold the beaten egg whites completely into the batter.
• Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.
• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees. (Use an instant-read ­thermometer that registers high temperatures or clip a candy/deep-fry thermometer onto the side of the pot before turning on the heat.) To coat the vegetables, submerge them in the ­batter and, using tongs, remove them from the batter, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Making sure not to overcrowd the pan, fry the vegetables in batches until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch, depending on the vegetable. Adjust the temperature as necessary to maintain an oil temperature of 375 degrees. Remove the vegetables with a second pair of tongs, allowing the excess oil to run off the vegetables and back into the pot, then drain the vegetables on an oven-safe plate layered with paper towels. Use a mesh skimmer to remove any burned bits of batter from the oil and repeat with another batch of vegetables. Lightly salt and pepper the vegetables while still hot. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
• Fritto misto is best eaten immediately (have everyone in the kitchen to eat the vegetables as soon as they come out of the oil), but the fried vegetables can be held for up to 1/2 hour in a 200-degree oven on a paper towel-lined baking sheet or ovensafe plate.