Nitkos Sauce For Fried Calamari Recipes

CRISPY FRIED CALAMARI RECIPE

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!

FRIED CALAMARI WITH SPICY MAYONNAISE

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.

NITKO'S SAUCE FOR FRIED CALAMARI

Steps:

• Very finely mince capers and pickled cucumbers.
• Mince fresh chive very finely.
• Make paste out of salted anchovy (or you can use already made paste from grocery store).
• Put mayonnaise and sour cream in a sauce bowl stir them to make unique paste.
• Add cucumbers, capers, mustard, chive, anchovy, and lemon juice and stir well. If necessary, add salt.
• Serve with fried calamari.

CALAMARI IN RED WINE AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Separate the tentacles from the long body of the calamari, if not done already. Slice the body, or calamari tubes into rings about 1/2 to 2/3 inch thick, set aside.
• In a saucepan, combine tomato sauce, red wine, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, basil, and cheese. Simmer on medium low for about 30 minutes to give the alcohol in the wine time to evaporate, and all the flavors time to blend.
• Add the calamari to the sauce. Continue to slowly simmer for about another 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Calamari is done when it is plump and more opaque. Do not cook on higher heat or for a longer period, as calamari is famous for becoming rubbery.