Cornmeal-Fried Calamari With Sautéed Swiss Chard
fried, seafood
1 1/2 pounds Swiss chard
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 medium clove garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound cleaned calamari
Vegetable oil - for deep frying
PREPARATION: Remove and discard white chard ribs (or wrap in plastic and reserve for another use). Rinse leaves and blanch in a large pot of boiling water until bright green and tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold running water, and drain again. Squeeze out excess water and chop the chard leaves coarsely. Wrap and refrigerate 3/4 cup chopped Swiss chard for Savory Swiss-Chard Frittata. Set remainder aside in a bowl. Mix the flour, cornmeal, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a shallow dish. Put the milk into a shallow bowl and squeeze in 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
COOKING: Peel and mince garlic. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet and sauté garlic until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add Swiss chard and sauté until hot, about 3 minutes; cover and keep warm. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 250°F. Rinse and pat calamari dry. Slice the bodies into 1/4-inch rings (tentacles can be fried whole). Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil to 365°F in a deep skillet or large saucepan. Working in 4 batches, dip the calamari into the milk mixture, dredge in the cornmeal mixture, and fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Drain each batch on paper towels and keep warm in the oven on a platter lined with paper toweling.
SERVING: Serve calamari with Quick Tartar Sauce and Swiss chard.
NOTES : Warm salad-like plate with bite and heft.
Calamari is an unusual entree, but each batch cooks in only 30 seconds, and your fishmonger can do most of the cleaning. Be sure the thin dapple skin is completely taken off the body, that the interior cartilage (which resembles a plastic pen) is removed, and that the tough "beak" at the center of the tentacles has been pulled - Free.
You can use 3/4 cup of the Swiss chard for another meal of Savory-Swiss Chard Frittata. 0 0 0 272 0 0 797 0 0 240 0
Contributor: Cook's Magazine September/October 1988
Yield: 4 servings
Preparation Time: 0:30
