Fried Calamari with Marinated Tomatoes, Chiles, and Basil
By David Harbilas
Calamari is such an easy, ubiquitous appetizer that it’s a wonder you don’t see it more on restaurant menus.
It also solves the problem of finding sustainable seafood, as squid are prolific, aggressive predators.
Most Italian eateries serve it with marinara and cherry peppers, and this is an obvious variation of that classic.
Finding the freshest ingredients is of the greatest importance, as they will make or break the dish. Mint is often used to cool the heat of the chiles in a dish like this, and here I opt for basil, which is in the mint family and goes well with the tomatoes.
Serves 4
- 1 pound calamari, cut into rings and tentacles separated from the bodies
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ½ cup flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon white wine
- 2 jalepeno chiles, sliced
- ¼ cup basil leaves, torn
- salt and pepper to taste
- canola oil for frying.
In a non-reactive metal bowl combine the tomatoes with the chiles, shallot, sugar, white wine, vinegar, and a pinch of salt and grinding of black pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 20-30 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, place the calamari in a container with the milk and let sit while the vegetables marinate. Bring a medium-large size pot of frying oil up to 350 degrees.
Sift the flour and cornmeal together. Drain the calamari from the milk and coat in the flour mixture. Shake the excess flour off the calamari in a strainer and drop lightly into the oil. Fry the calamari until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain from the oil and place in the bowl with the vegetables and toss. Season with salt and pepper and add the basil. Serve.
