Indulge in the tantalizing flavors of this Fried Calamari Salad, a culinary masterpiece that combines the crispy texture of calamari with a refreshing blend of vegetables and tangy dressing. This seafood salad features tender calamari rings, lightly coated and fried to golden perfection, adding a delightful crunch with every bite. The calamari is then tossed with a vibrant medley of arugula, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and parsley, creating a symphony of colors and flavors. A zesty lemon-tahini dressing ties all the ingredients together, adding a burst of citrus and tanginess that elevates the dish to a whole new level. With its perfect balance of crispy, tender, and refreshing elements, this Fried Calamari Salad is a delightful appetizer or light main course that will impress your taste buds. Whether you're a seafood lover or simply seeking a unique and flavorful salad experience, this recipe is sure to satisfy your culinary cravings.
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CRISPY FRIED CALAMARI RECIPE
Crispy, succulent calamari rings, coated in seasoned flour and quickly fried to crispy perfection. Budget 30 minutes to soak the calamari in milk. This helps tenderize them while taming their fish smell. It also allows the flour coating to better stick on the rings. Be sure to read the post for more tips!
Provided by Suzy Karadsheh
Categories Appetizer
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Slice the calamari tubes into ¾-inch thick rings.
- In a medium bowl, stir 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt in ½ cup milk.
- Add the calamari rings to the milk mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne (make sure the mixture is well combined).
- Prepare a large colander and set it on top of a large bowl. Using a pair of tongs, take a portion of the calamari rings (about ½ of them) shake off excess milk and toss the calamari in the flour mixture. Toss the calamari to coat evenly. Put the coated calamari in the colander. Repeat with the rest of the calamari.
- Turn your oven on a low 150 degrees F. Prepare a large sheet pan and set a wire rack on top. Top the wire rack with paper towel.
- Heat 4 inches of grape seed oil in a small cooking pot (I used a 2.5 quart pot) to somewhere between 350 and 365 degrees F. To test your oil, drop one calamari ring, many bubbles will form around it and the calamari will begin to float.
- Once your oil is ready, using a pair of tongs, gently add some of the calamari in and fry for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the calamari from the oil and arrange it on the paper towel on top of your prepared wire rack. Immediately season with kosher salt, then transfer to your warm oven to keep warm while you work on the rest. Repeat until you have fried all the calamari.
- Transfer the fried calamari to a serving plate and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 227.2 kcal, Carbohydrate 35.8 g, Protein 15.9 g, Fat 1.8 g, SaturatedFat 0.6 g, TransFat 0.1 g, Cholesterol 177.7 mg, Sodium 273.4 mg, Fiber 1.6 g, ServingSize 1 serving
CALAMARI SALAD
Steps:
- Rinse squid under cold running water, then lightly pat dry between paper towels. Halve tentacles lengthwise and cut bodies (including flaps, if attached) crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide rings.
- Cook squid in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until just opaque, 40 to 60 seconds. Drain in a colander and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. When squid is cool, drain and pat dry.
- Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then stir in onion and let stand 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine squid, olives, tomatoes, celery, and parsley in a large bowl. Toss with dressing and season with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
CALAMARI SALAD
Steps:
- To a large pot of boiling water, add lemon juice and salt. Add squid rings and cook for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Drain.
- Combine onion, celery, garlic, parsley, olive oil, vinegar and herbs with cooked squid and serve at room temperature or cool.
FRIED CALAMARI SALAD
Steps:
- For dressing:
- Whisk first 7 ingredients in medium bowl until miso dissolves. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup vegetable oil.
- For salad:
- Cook chayote in medium saucepan of boiling salted water just until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain; cool. Combine chayote, endive, radicchio, hearts of palm and mint in large bowl.
- Mix flour and cornstarch in pie dish. Add enough vegetable oil to heavy large pot to reach depth of 3 inches. Heat to 350°F. Sprinkle calamari with salt and pepper. Dredge calamari in flour mixture; shake off excess. Working in batches, add calamari to pot and deep-fry just until crisp and brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer calamari to paper towels and drain.
- Add calamari to bowl with chayote salad; add coconut, cashews and 2/3 cup dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among 8 plates and serve.
- *Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets nationwide.
FRIED CALAMARI
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories appetizer
Time 30m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Pour enough oil into a heavy large saucepan to reach the depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Mix the flour, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Working in small batches, toss the squid into the flour mixture to coat. Carefully add the squid to the oil and fry until crisp and very pale golden, about 1 minute per batch. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
- Place the fried calamari and lemon wedges on a clean plate. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with the marinara sauce.
- In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
- Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
- If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.
FRIED CALAMARI
You can make light and crispy calamari - the kind you get at clam shacks and Italian-American restaurants - without a deep fryer. Compared to frying fish or chicken, frying squid is a breeze thanks to its small size and quick cook time. To ensure success, soak the squid in milk to reduce fishiness and help the coating stick. A little baking powder and cornstarch in the coating keeps it airy and delicate. (Add paprika or black pepper for spice, or let the mild flavor shine through.) Then, to keep the squid from toughening, fry it hot and fast; just a couple of minutes will do it. Eat right away with a squeeze of lemon or marinara sauce.
Provided by Ali Slagle
Categories finger foods, appetizer
Time 30m
Yield 4 appetizer servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a medium bowl, stir together the milk and 2 teaspoons salt. Cut the squid tubes 3/4-inch thick, then add to the milk mixture along with the tentacles. Let sit for 5 minutes or up to 1 hour. (Refrigerate if soaking for more than 15 minutes.)
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and paprika or black pepper (if using). Use your hands to shake excess milk from the squid, then transfer to the flour mixture. Toss until well coated; you may need to open up the tubes to ensure their insides are coated in flour.
- In a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium, heat ½ inch of oil to 375 degrees. Line a plate or sheet pan with paper towels. Add a handful of the squid to the oil and cook until golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir only after the coating seems to have set. (Any sooner and the coating could fall off.) Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer to the lined plate. Season with salt.
- Return the oil to 375 degrees, fish out any browned bits, and repeat with the rest of the squid in batches. Eat with a squeeze of lemon and/or dunked in marinara sauce.
CRISPY CALAMARI, LEMON AND MAITAKE SALAD OVER ARUGULA
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories weekday, salads and dressings
Time 45m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pinch of pepper until the salt dissolves. Whisk in the olive oil.
- To prepare the squid and lemon, cut the squid tentacles in half and the bodies into 1/4-inch rings. Slice the lemon lengthwise into quarters and then thinly slice each quarter crosswise, discarding any seeds. In a wide shallow bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dredge the squid and lemon slices in the cornmeal mixture.
- Heat 1/2 inch oil to 350 degrees in a large, straight-sided skillet. Frying in batches to avoid crowding, cook the mushrooms until golden, about 1 minute per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the squid, followed by the lemon slices.
- In a large bowl, toss the arugula, mushrooms, squid and lemon slices with the dressing. Add the Parmesan and toss gently once more. Serve with lemon wedges.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 298, UnsaturatedFat 19 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 24 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 9 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 247 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram
Tips:
- Choose fresh calamari: Look for calamari that is firm and has a slightly pearly color. Avoid calamari that is slimy or has a strong fishy smell.
- Clean the calamari properly: Remove the head, tentacles, and ink sac from the calamari body. Cut the body into rings or strips.
- Tenderize the calamari: To make the calamari more tender, you can marinate it in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Cook the calamari properly: Calamari cooks very quickly, so it is important not to overcook it. Fry the calamari in hot oil for 2-3 minutes, or until it is golden brown and tender.
- Serve the calamari immediately: Calamari is best served hot and crispy. You can serve it with a variety of dipping sauces, such as marinara sauce, tartar sauce, or lemon wedges.
Conclusion:
Fried calamari salad is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a summer meal. The calamari is crispy and tender, and the salad is light and refreshing. This dish is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
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