Indulge in the crispy, tender delight of calamari with our curated collection of tantalizing recipes. These culinary gems offer a symphony of flavors and textures, taking you on a delectable journey. From the classic fried calamari with its golden-brown coating to the aromatic salt and pepper calamari, each recipe promises a unique taste experience. Explore the zesty lemon butter calamari for a refreshing twist or venture into the bold and spicy Szechuan calamari for an explosion of flavors. Whether you prefer a traditional approach or crave something more adventurous, our recipes will guide you to create restaurant-quality calamari in the comfort of your own kitchen. Get ready to embark on a culinary adventure that will leave your taste buds craving more.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
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
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
This is a recipe I make usually every Christmas! I serve it with marinara sauce. The smaller the squid the more tender (less chewy) they are...also don't over fry them or they will become tough.
Provided by Lillian Russo
Categories Seafood Appetizers
Time 1h15m
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- 1. Mix all dry ingredients together, include crushed garlic, but do not include breadcrumbs.
- 2. Then add enough water to make a slightly thick batter. Mix thoroughly.
- 3. Dip the calamari rings into this batter, then dip into the plain (unseasoned) breadcrumbs.
- 4. Deep fry (in small batches) for 1-2 minutes at about 375*F. Do not over cook or they will be chewy.
- 5. I always serve this with homemade marinara sauce!
TENDER FRIED CALAMARI
I've been on a mission to duplicate the calamari at Ruths Chris Steakhouse without much success. Come to find out that they keep the squid alive in tanks until ordered on the menu... no wonder! I've done a lot of research, and came up with this recipe... they turned out awesome! Very tender. Ruths Chris serves the fried calimari in a sweet and spicy clear asian sauce, there are several brands in asian markets to choose from. Okay... Here is the best tip ever when frying calamari... after dredging the rings in flour, turn the rings inside out... this way they stay wide open for mor even frying!:) Came up with that one myself.
Provided by BETHANY T.
Categories < 15 Mins
Time 15m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Slice squid into rings. Cut any hard parts off of tentacle sections. I trim the long tentacles.
- Rinse and drain squid and dry between papaer towels. (excess moisture makes squid rubbery)
- Mix flour, cornmeal and seasonings in a LARGE bowl.
- Put oil into a small deep pan, and heat to 350° using a thermometer.
- Place squid pieces in bowl with flour mixture and swirl around coating all pieces well.
- Place about 6 or 7 calamari at a time into the hot oil. Cook for only about 1 minute. will be a vary pale barely golden color. Don't overcook, or it will be tough! Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat until all squid is cooked.
- Serve immediately with your favorite sauce.
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.
Tips:
- To ensure the calamari is tender, soak it in milk for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Use a meat mallet to lightly pound the calamari rings, this will help tenderize them and make them more receptive to the marinade.
- The key to a crispy coating is a double coating of seasoned flour and beaten egg. Make sure each calamari ring is fully coated before frying.
- Use a large skillet or frying pan with plenty of oil to allow the calamari to fry without overcrowding.
- Maintain the oil temperature between 350°F and 375°F to prevent the calamari from becoming overcooked or undercooked.
- Fry the calamari in batches to prevent the oil temperature from dropping too much, which could result in soggy calamari.
- Serve the calamari immediately with your favorite dipping sauce, such as marinara, tartar sauce, or lemon wedges.
Conclusion:
Tender Fried Calamari is a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or main course. By following these tips, you can create perfectly crispy and tender calamari that will be a hit at your next party or gathering. Enjoy!
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