Indulge in the crispy and tender delight of fried calamari, a seafood delicacy that tantalizes taste buds with its golden-brown exterior and succulent interior. This classic dish, often served as an appetizer or main course, is a symphony of flavors and textures that will leave you craving more. Prepared with fresh squid, expertly coated in a light and flavorful batter, then fried to perfection, fried calamari offers a delightful crunch in every bite. Accompanied by a zesty and creamy peperoncini mayonnaise, this dish delivers a perfect balance of tang and richness. This article provides three delectable recipes for fried calamari, each with its unique twist. The first recipe introduces the classic fried calamari, coated in a simple yet flavorful batter and fried until golden brown. The second recipe adds a touch of spice with a spicy batter, creating a tantalizing contrast to the tender calamari. The third recipe incorporates a crispy panko breadcrumb coating, resulting in an irresistibly crunchy outer layer. Served with the zesty peperoncini mayonnaise, these fried calamari recipes are sure to be a hit at any gathering, leaving your guests craving more.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
FRIED CALAMARI
Fried calamari is one of my favorite recipes, simple to make and tastes delicious.
Provided by John Craig
Categories Appetizers and Snacks Seafood
Time 25m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Check calamari for breaks and slice into 1/8- to 1/4-inch rings.
- Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Place 2 cups flour in a bowl. Whisk milk and eggs together in a separate bowl. Place remaining 4 cups flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a third bowl; mix thoroughly.
- Toss calamari rings in the plain flour. Move to the egg mixture and thoroughly coat. Move to the seasoned flour and coat fully. Move back to egg mixture if not thoroughly coated; coat with seasoned flour again.
- Submerge floured calamari in the hot oil until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Lift out with a slotted spoon, letting oil drip off. Drain on paper towels. Place calamari in a small bowl; check seasoning. Add parsley and lemon wedge for garnish.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 523.2 calories, Carbohydrate 79.8 g, Cholesterol 214.1 mg, Fat 11.6 g, Fiber 3.1 g, Protein 22.9 g, SaturatedFat 3.3 g, Sodium 488.2 mg, Sugar 3.3 g
FRIED CALAMARI WITH SPICY MAYONNAISE
This fried calamari with spicy mayonnaise is nothing short of delicious.
Provided by RecipeGirl.com (adapted from Coastal Living)
Categories Appetizer
Time 1h50m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and Sriracha. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.
- Add the buttermilk to a bowl. Add the calamari, and let it soak; chill for at least 1 hour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper and paprika. Remove the calamari from the buttermilk and dredge it in the flour mixture. Shake off the excess, and separate the rings and tentacles.
- Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a large pot; heat to 365°F. Fry the calamari, in batches, 1 minute or until done. Drain on paper towels, and serve warm with the spicy mayonnaise.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 appetizer, Calories 285 kcal, Carbohydrate 11 g, Protein 14 g, Fat 20 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, TransFat 1 g, Cholesterol 186 mg, Sodium 388 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, UnsaturatedFat 15 g
RHODE ISLAND CALAMARI
Steps:
- Heat canola oil in a deep pot to 350 degrees F.
- In a skillet over high heat, combine olive oil, butter, pepperoncini and onion. Saute until lightly caramelized, then add garlic and cook until tender. Deglaze with white wine and cook until slightly reduced. Add the clam juice, red pepper, and lower heat to a simmer.
- Core out bread and lightly toast the bread bowl. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix cornstarch, flour, seasoning salt and cayenne. Toss calamari in flour and shake off excess.
- Fry calamari in oil until golden brown and crispy. Toss fried calamari with the sauce and pour into the toasted bread bowl. Garnish with Roma tomatoes and scallions.
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.
CRISPY FRIED CALAMARI & AïOLI
Transport yourself to a seaside taverna with Mediterranean-inspired deep-fried squid rings and garlicky aïoli. Cooking this is easier than you think
Provided by Esther Clark
Categories Starter
Time 20m
Number Of Ingredients 10
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 388 calories, Fat 30 grams fat, SaturatedFat 3 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 15 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 1 grams sugar, Fiber 0.4 grams fiber, Protein 14 grams protein, Sodium 0.7 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Use high-quality calamari. Fresh, tender calamari will produce the best results.
- Clean the calamari properly. Be sure to remove the ink sac, quill, and any other unwanted parts.
- Slice the calamari into thin rings. This will help them to cook evenly.
- Dredge the calamari in flour before frying. This will help them to get crispy.
- Fry the calamari in hot oil. This will help them to cook quickly and evenly.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when frying the calamari. This will cause them to steam instead of fry.
- Serve the calamari with a dipping sauce. Peperoncini mayonnaise is a classic choice, but you can also try other sauces, such as marinara or tartar sauce.
Conclusion:
Fried calamari is a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or main course. By following these tips, you can make sure that your fried calamari is crispy, tender, and flavorful. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy seafood dish, give fried calamari a try!
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