The crispy calamari recipe from our Feed Your Fire podcast episide, Bring on the Squid Game.
Listen to episode here.
Crispy Fried Calamari with Herb-Lemon Topping
Ingredients
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1 lb calamari, tubes and tentacles
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1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tsp lemon juice)
- 1T. Frank's Red Hot
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½ cup all-purpose flour
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½ cup cornstarch
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1 tsp garlic powder
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1 tsp onion powder
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1 tsp paprika
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1 tsp salt, plus more for finishing
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Vegetable oil, for frying
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2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
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2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
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Zest of one lemon
To prepare the calamari, first tenderize it. Slice tubes into ¼-inch rings and place them and the tenticles in a container and covering them with buttermilk adding in the Frank's Red Hot. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
Heat fryer to 400 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt.
Remove calamari from the buttermilk and place directly into the flour mixture. Dredge rings and tentacles in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess
Place calamari in a frying basket and drop into hot oil. Fry calamari in small batches for about 45 seconds, just until lightly golden. Do not overcook.
Remove basket from hot oil and place calamari on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt.
Combine parsley, cilantro, and lemon zest in a small bowl, and sprinkle the mixture over the calamari before serving.