Fritto Misto With Two Mustard Sauce 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.

VEGETABLE FRITTO MISTO WITH LEMON MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• For the fritto misto: In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt and pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about 1/3 of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 1 minute.).
• Mix the egg and water together to make the egg wash. Dip the cauliflower, green beans, fennel, garbanzo beans, and lemon slices in the egg wash, then dredge in the flour to coat. Fry the dredged ingredients for 1 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels.
• For the lemon mayonnaise: In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise and lemon juice together until smooth. Pour into a small dipping or serving bowl.
• Arrange the fritto misto on a platter and serve with the lemon mayonnaise.
• If you don't want the lemon mayo, a good squeeze of fresh lemon does the trick too! Try this with other vegetables too. I'm going to do eggplant and zucchini next.

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.

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.

BROCCOLI FRITTO MISTO

Steps:

• Fill a large, deep, heavy pot with enough oil to come up 2 inches from bottom of pot. Place over medium heat; clip a deep-fry thermometer to pot and heat oil to 350°.
• Cut a slit in the side of each pepperoncini; squeeze out excess liquid and pat very dry. Stir together pepperoncini brine, vinegar, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to make the dipping sauce; set aside.
• Whisk together 1 cup rice flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup club soda and wine. (Batter should have the texture of thin honey.) Add remaining 1/4 cup rice flour to a shallow bowl.
• Preheat oven to 200°. Working with a few pieces at a time to avoid crowding, toss Broccolini in rice flour, then dip in batter, turning to coat. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to pot and fry until crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer Broccolini to a wire rack set over a baking sheet; season with salt. Place baking sheet in oven to keep warm.
• Thin batter with more club soda until it has the consistency of heavy cream (about 2 tablespoons). This will prevent thick clumps of batter from forming in the florets. Repeat batter and frying instructions in step four with broccoli, followed by pepperoncini and sage. Serve right away or keep in oven up to 1 hour. Serve with reserved dipping sauce.