TFF -- Calamari Fritti

I've been keeping an eye out for Calamari every week at my market and this week it was on sale so I bought nearly a lb! Both Mr. Tastebuds and I love Calamari and we've not had it in some time and I've never made it before.

Tyler's Calamari Fritti was delicious and so was the Smoked Jalapeno Aioli. I did make a few changes in this recipe. I thought 1 sauce would be plenty for us so eliminated the Tomato Basil Sauce. And we did not have any canola oil so I fried the Calamari in corn oil which worked out well. And I only used 1 tsp Paprika, I really did not think 2 tsp was necessary. It was a delicious dinner and I'm happy to have finally made Calamari!






Calamari Fritti
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

1 pound whole squid, cleaned
1 cup milk
1 large egg
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Canola oil, for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons paprika
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving
Smoked jalapeno aioli, for dipping, recipe follows
Tomato-basil sauce, for dipping, recipe follows


Smoked Jalapeno Aioli:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 to 2 canned chipotle chile in adobo
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Pinch salt


Tomato-Basil Sauce:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 fresh basil leaves, hand-torn
1 (16-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Pinch sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the squid under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the body of the squid into 1/2-inch rings and trim the tentacles as necessary. Combine the milk, egg, and basil leaves in a bowl; mix with a fork until lightly beaten. Put the prepared calamari in the milk mixture and stick it in the refrigerator while getting everything else set up; it fries better if marinated and chilled for about 15 minutes.

Pour about 2 inches of oil in a fryer or large, heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F. Mix the flour and paprika in a pie dish or plate; season with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Toss the calamari in the seasoned flour to coat. Fry for 1 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and salt, to taste. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and dipping sauces.

Smoked Jalapeno Aioli: Yield: 1 cup

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend for 1 minute to combine. Set aside to allow the flavors to marry. Serve as a dipping sauce with fried calamari.

Tomato Basil Sauce: Yield: 2 cups

Coat a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the oil and warm over medium heat. Add the garlic and basil; cook, stirring, until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining olive oil. Serve as a dipping sauce with fried calamari.







Please check out the rest of Tyler's Groupies at Tyler Florence Fridays and see what they've cooked up this week!








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