Calamari
1 pound of fresh squid
3/4 cups of corn meal
1/4 cup of flour
salt and fresh pepper
spoon of garlic powder
1.5 inches of vegetable oil (in pan)
lemon wedges
Cut squid into rings, strips, and curly-cues as desired (cut above the eye.)
Mix corn meal and flour in a plastic bag. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste and shake well.
Dry off squid and place in the bag. Shake well and set aside.
Heat oil so that a small piece of bread will float in it, not dissolve.
Take squid out of the bag a handful at a time and fry for approximately 45 seconds before removing. Dry off on paper towels and repeat the process until the squid is all fried.
Serve with lemon wedges
Catalan Calamari in Onions
1-1/4 lb. Cleaned calamari
3 tbsp. virgin olive oil
1 dry red chilli pepper, broken
3 lg. onions
Salt and pepper, to taste
Clean calamari and cut tubes crosswise into 1/2-inch rings. Dry calamari on paper towels.
In a medium frying pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add the calamari and sauté until the rings turn opaque white, approximately 30 seconds to one minute. Transfer calamari to a bowl and set aside.
Wipe frying pan dry, add remaining oil and heat. Add chili pepper and heat until it turns dark. Remove chili with a slotted spoon and discard. Add the onions to the hot chili oil and cook, stirring, until onions are wilted, approximately 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; partially cover pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized to a golden brown, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Add more oil if onions are dry or stick to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Add calamari and stir until heated throughout. Serve with slices of hot or toasted French bread.
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