Buttermilk Fried Calamari With Lemon Aioli Recipes

BUTTERMILK FRIED CALAMARI WITH LEMON AIOLI

Steps:

• Prepare lemon aioli by whisking together mayo - tabasco. Season with salt and pepper.
• Soak calamari in buttermilk for 20-30 minutes.
• Preheat frying oil to 375 degrees F.
• Combine flour with seasonings from paprika - red chili flakes.
• Dredge calamari in seasoned flour, tossing evenly to coat. Carefully drop a handful of the calamari into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining calamari.
• Sprinkle parsley on top. Serve with lemon wedges and lemon aioli.

BUTTERMILK-BATTERED CALAMARI

Steps:

• Heat oil in a saucepan or deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Pour buttermilk into a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Dip squid rings into the buttermilk, then into the seasoned flour.
• Place the coated pieces in the hot oil, and fry in small batches, turning if necessary, for even cooking. When evenly browned, remove to paper towels to drain, and continue with the rest of the squid. Serve hot.

LIGHT AND CRISPY CALAMARI WITH FRIED LEMONS

Steps:

• To make the calamari, clean the squid. To clean a whole squid, separate the head and tentacles from the body. With a paring knife, cut between the eyes and the tentacles, discarding the eye portion. In the center of the tentacles, push out a little round bead with the hard beak and discard it; reserve the tentacles. For the body section, peel off the flaps and the dark-colored membrane. Remove the quill, the plastic-like bone. Squeeze out the innards like squeezing out toothpaste. Rinse the tentacles and body sections and dry well. Cut the body sections into nice rings. Leave the legs intact.
• Whisk the heavy cream and eggs together in a medium-size bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the squid, onion and lemon and refrigerate for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• To make the dredge mix, combine the flour, cornstarch, cornmeal, paprika, salt and pepper in a separate bowl.
• Pour the oil into a heavy 5-quart (4.5 L) Dutch oven or any heavy-bottomed pot at least twice as deep as the oil and heat to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C) on a frying thermometer. Keep the lid nearby in case of emergency.
• Drain the squid, onion and lemon, leaving some cream stuck to them, then immediately place in the bowl of flour. Roll everything around so the flour mix sticks to the cream like a heavy dredge. Knock off any excess. Fry in small batches until crispy and golden brown, about 1 minutes. Drain well on paper towels or a rack and season again with a little salt and pepper.
• Garnish with the chopped parsley and lemon zest, and serve with the marinara.

CRISPY FRIED CALAMARI & AïOLI

Steps:

• Cut the tentacles off the squid and put in a bowl. Slice the squid tubes into roughly 1cm thick rings and add to the bowl. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan over a low heat, ensuring it is no more than two-thirds full.
• For the aïoli, mix the mayonnaise, garlic, saffron and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Toss the squid with the flour, cornflour, baking powder, cayenne and ½ tsp salt. When the oil has reached 170C on a thermometer, or when a cube of bread is dropped in and turns golden brown in 30 seconds, deep-fry the squid in batches for 2 mins, or until lightly golden and crisp. Set aside on a tray lined with kitchen paper. Serve the fried squid with the aïoli on the side 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.