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Fried Calamari

Recipe courtesy Chuck Hughes
Show: Chuck's Day Off Episode: The Bouncers

Photo: Fried Calamari

TOTAL TIME: 4 hr 40 min
Prep: 30 min
Inactive Prep: 4 hr
Cook: 10 min
 
YIELD: 4 servings
LEVEL: --

ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh calamari
  • 2 cups milk
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon garlic hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
  • 2 cups flour
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 eggs
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Puttanesca Dipping Sauce, recipe follows
  • Lemon wedges, for serving
PUTTANESCA DIPPING SAUCE:
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 3 tomatoes, diced
  • A pinch chile flakes
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Directions

Clean the calamari and cut the bodies into thick rings, reserving the tentacles separately.

Mix the milk and lemon juice in a large bowl. Let rest for 5 minutes until it thickens. Add the garlic hot sauce. Add the calamari and soak in the buttermilk for up to 4 hours.

In a bowl, mix the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, paprika and cayenne. Beat the eggs in another bowl.

Remove the calamari from the buttermilk and drain. Dip into the beaten egg, and then the flour mixture.

Fill a heavy skillet with 2 cups vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat to 360 degrees F, or set a deep fryer to 360 degrees F. Fry the calamari, in batches, until brown and crispy, about 4 minutes. Place on a plate and pat dry any excess oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with the Puttanesca Dipping Sauce and lemon wedges.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, anchovies, olives, capers and tomatoes. Saute for another 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and chile flakes. (Add a little water if it's too thick.) Stir in the parsley and lemon zest.

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5

Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 2 reviews

  • on December 28, 2012

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    This fried calamari was the bomb! Prepared it for a Christmas Eve appetizer and it was a big hit with my picky eater family! I did not make the sauce, but I did purchase Trader Joe's Sweet Chili Sauce which provided the right amount of sweetness and heat for my family! This recipe is definitely a keeper!

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

  • on July 28, 2011

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    Wow, can I just say the sauce really was outstanding! It really made the calamari pop! My new favorite way to eat Calamari! .....or really will try it with any fried fish or shellfish! It was so good...I had a tiny bit left over and it was great on my Turkey burger...Very versatile sauce!!!! yum!

    people found this review Helpful.
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