Crispy Salt and Pepper Calamari Salad
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound of fresh calamari rings
  • ⅓ cup of AP flour
  • ¼ cup of cornmeal
  • ½ cup of cornstarch
  • 1 TBSP freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 TBSP freshly cracked sea salt
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup of buttermilk
  • a dash of srichacha sauce
  • 8-10 ounces of ice cold seltzer
  • Wasabi Orange Vinaigrette: courtesy of Emeril
  • 2 teaspoons wasabi paste
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup sesame oil
  • 1 tsp grated orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Mix together in a large bowl the buttermilk and srichacha sauce. Place the squid in the bowl and cover. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove, drain and pat dry. Set aside
  2. Mix together in a separate large bowl the flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Slowly pour in the seltzer water stirring vigorously until all is combined. Batter should be as thick as pancake batter. Dredge the calamari rings in the tempura batter, scraping off excess batter on the sides of the bowl before placing them into 375 degree hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Serve alongside crispy salad and wasabi orange vinaigrette.
  3. Wasabi Orange Vinaigrette:
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine the wasabi, honey and vinegar. Whisk well. Slowly drizzle the oils into the bowl, whisking until the dressing emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro.
Recipe by Kitchen Belleicious at https://kitchenbelleicious.com/?p=5950