Fried Calamari
- Thread starter drspinrx
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Giada de Laurentiis has a good recipe for that: Recipes : Fried Calamari : Food Network I watched her make it - it looked pretty easy. HTH.
calamari
Hi Drspinrx,
Calamari or squid need to be cooked very quickly OR slowly.
Quick methods of cooking squid include cooking on a hot BBQ; cutting into rings, dipping in batter and deep fat frying; cutting into strips; cooking quickly in a wok for Chinese dishes or cooking on a griddle pan. These are the 3 minutes or less method!
The slow methods are 20 minutes are more (depending upon the size of the squid) and use whole squid/calamari! For these you need squid or clamari which have been cleaned and washed. Chop up the tentacles and use these to stuff the squid/calamari or mix the tentacles with, for example (and this is my favourite) spinach and pinenuts. Cover with a rich tomato sauce or an almond sauce and bake (covered) in a moderate oven until a skewer or cocktail stick inserted into the squid/calamari meets with no resistence.
Hope this helps,
Archiduc
Hi Drspinrx,
Calamari or squid need to be cooked very quickly OR slowly.
Quick methods of cooking squid include cooking on a hot BBQ; cutting into rings, dipping in batter and deep fat frying; cutting into strips; cooking quickly in a wok for Chinese dishes or cooking on a griddle pan. These are the 3 minutes or less method!
The slow methods are 20 minutes are more (depending upon the size of the squid) and use whole squid/calamari! For these you need squid or clamari which have been cleaned and washed. Chop up the tentacles and use these to stuff the squid/calamari or mix the tentacles with, for example (and this is my favourite) spinach and pinenuts. Cover with a rich tomato sauce or an almond sauce and bake (covered) in a moderate oven until a skewer or cocktail stick inserted into the squid/calamari meets with no resistence.
Hope this helps,
Archiduc
Bilby
Executive Chef
I prefer my squid rings dredged in some seasoned flour rather than batter, thrown into the hot oil for deep-fry or a minute on one side before a brief turn to the other side for shallow fry. Otherwise, marinate the squid pieces/rings in oil with some garlic, chilli and your preferred herbs for a quick pan-fry. Quick is the key - they cook quicker than prawns and scallops.
I have stuffed a couple of whole squids before with spinach and ricotta and covered in tomato sauce and cheese but it took a good hour to cook them. They were very tasty though.
Deep fried squid tentacles are my favourite item on a dim sum menu, so don't automatically feel that they are just to be used as stuffing.
As to sauces. A bit will depend on how you actually cook them. A lime or plain aioli is always a winner as can a sweet chilli dipping sauce. Plum or hoisin sauces work well with the deep fried tentacles. Straight up salt and vinegar can go a treat too.
Being seafood, a lot of people would find it hard to resist a standard tartare sauce to accompany the squid. Not to my taste though.
Squid pieces/rings that have been pan-, shallow- or deep-fried, are best served with a garden or Greek salads, and a few orange or grapefruit segments on the plate work well too.
I have stuffed a couple of whole squids before with spinach and ricotta and covered in tomato sauce and cheese but it took a good hour to cook them. They were very tasty though.
Deep fried squid tentacles are my favourite item on a dim sum menu, so don't automatically feel that they are just to be used as stuffing.
As to sauces. A bit will depend on how you actually cook them. A lime or plain aioli is always a winner as can a sweet chilli dipping sauce. Plum or hoisin sauces work well with the deep fried tentacles. Straight up salt and vinegar can go a treat too.
Being seafood, a lot of people would find it hard to resist a standard tartare sauce to accompany the squid. Not to my taste though.
Squid pieces/rings that have been pan-, shallow- or deep-fried, are best served with a garden or Greek salads, and a few orange or grapefruit segments on the plate work well too.
I had some squid at a Japanese place in LA that was pretty tasty, and I kind of impressed myself at how well I mimicked their recipe:
Clean small squid (~5" head) and cut into rings
Do the flour egg flour bit
Your second dredging of flour should contain lots of salt and a little cayenne or whatever you like
Fry till golden! I like it served with some sweet and sour because the batter is a tad spicy and very salty.
Clean small squid (~5" head) and cut into rings
Do the flour egg flour bit
Your second dredging of flour should contain lots of salt and a little cayenne or whatever you like
Fry till golden! I like it served with some sweet and sour because the batter is a tad spicy and very salty.
karenlyn
Senior Cook
I like to dredge them in seasoned flour, fry them in hot olive oil, and dip them in salsa brava, a spicy-vinegary-tomatoey sauce popular here in Spain. Really good.
This recipe for brava sauce is pretty good, and uses ingredients you can get anywhere:
Recipe: Fried Beer-Marinated Chicken Wings with Salsa Brava
This recipe for brava sauce is pretty good, and uses ingredients you can get anywhere:
Recipe: Fried Beer-Marinated Chicken Wings with Salsa Brava
VeraBlue
Executive Chef
Soak the calamari in milk and egg for a few hours. Make a seasoned flour blend of corn meal, flour, granulated garlic, chopped parsley, paprika, S&P. Dredge the calamari into the flour, shaking off the excess liquid and flour. Fry till they float lightly. Overcooking is a common mistake. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Many people prefer a spicy marinara sauce. Also good is any creamy based dipping sauce. Try mixing a good pesto into a bit of mayo, or lemon zest and roasted garlic into mayo.
Many people prefer a spicy marinara sauce. Also good is any creamy based dipping sauce. Try mixing a good pesto into a bit of mayo, or lemon zest and roasted garlic into mayo.
oldrustycars
Senior Cook
I just made some tonight. I made breading with 1 cup flour, 1 cup cornmeal, and 3 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning. An inch of oil in Black Betty, my 12 inch iron skillet, heated to 300 degrees. One minute in the oil was all it takes. Mayo with minced garlic for dipping.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
I think Mario Batali has the best, easiest, tastiest way of preparing fried calamari. Just dredged in lightly seasoned cornstarch & fried for just a minute or two. Serve with fresh lemon wedges. That's it. No "dipping sauce" necessary. No frou-frou or batters or anything, and ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS.
After tasting it, I can't be bothered with any of the other battered stuff anymore.
After tasting it, I can't be bothered with any of the other battered stuff anymore.
kitchenelf
Chef Extraordinaire
I love it served with pepperoncini rings and marinara. But more than calamari my favorite is the baby octopus usually cooked with it. 
BrazenAmateur
Senior Cook
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2007
- Messages
- 193
^^
Had this and I definitely vouch for it.
Simpler is better on this one. I never got the "dipping sauce" thing. I order calamari some places and I just get something that tastes like marinara and breading.....what the hell? I just want squid flavor + texture + bit of lemon.
Oh, and I want the tentacles. They are so totally the best part, way more flavor than the rings.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
I SO fully agree about the tentacles!!! It was so disappointing for a long long while around here to find that even if you could locate fresh or frozen squid at all, it was always just the cleaned "tubes". Luckily, all the cleaned frozen squid I've been able to buy the past year or so has included the tentacles as well.
The only problem I now run into is that when buying frozen - normally the only way squid is available here - one doesn't know until one defrosts & opens the package whether one is dealing with full-size squid suitable for slicing into fry-worthy rings, or tiny little "baby" squid (2"-3" long tops) which are just PERFECT for sauteeing & adding to a spicy red sauce for topping pasta. So these days when I buy it, I just plan for either/or & don't make the final decision until I've opened the package.
But tentacles are, luckily, always a part of the package regardless of the body size.
The only problem I now run into is that when buying frozen - normally the only way squid is available here - one doesn't know until one defrosts & opens the package whether one is dealing with full-size squid suitable for slicing into fry-worthy rings, or tiny little "baby" squid (2"-3" long tops) which are just PERFECT for sauteeing & adding to a spicy red sauce for topping pasta. So these days when I buy it, I just plan for either/or & don't make the final decision until I've opened the package.
But tentacles are, luckily, always a part of the package regardless of the body size.
70chevelle
Cook
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2008
- Messages
- 80
I cook (deep fry) calamari at a few different family events during the Christmas season. I dredge in flour, then eggs (or buttermilk), then back in seasoned flour. I carefully place them on a drying rack over a cookie sheet, and let them sit for a half hour or so. I cook them for a minute or so in a deep fryer. The breading comes out very even and the texture is wonderful. The sauce I make is butter, Frank's Original hot sauce, minced garlic, and honey. Sometimes as a dipping sauce, sometimes I'll dump some in a ziplock bag and shake the calamari in for a good coating. The best part of the squid is the tentacles. My daughters (10 & 14) and I fight over them, and watch the non-believers get grossed out!
AliceNashville
Assistant Cook
Sooo goood
