Salt and Pepper Calamari
This recipe was minimally adapted from Caz Hildebrand’s - The Grammar of Spice. This appetizer is easy to make and the calamari is spicy without being too heavily battered (as is often the case).
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl small
Ingredients
- 6 squid tubes with tentacles, cleaned
- 1 Meyer Lemon (for juice) or the juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 orange
- 2-3 tablespoons Soy sauce to taste
- 3 tablespoons Mirin
- 1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 inch piece Ginger finely grated
- 1 teaspoon Black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan Peppercorns
- 2-3 teaspoons Sea Salt originally called for 4 teaspoons!
- 4 teaspoons Cornstarch
- Neutral Oil for frying
- 4 cups Mizuna or Arugula on four salad or dinner plates.
Instructions
- Trim the tentacles off the calamari tubes, then cut the tubes into 1/4-inch rings. Trim tentacles, keep only what is needed. Set aside.
- Whisk together the lemon juice, soy sauce, Mirin, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, and grated ginger. Set aside.
- Grind the peppers in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Place them in a large plastic bag and add salt and cornstarch. Shake the bag to mix the ingredients.
- Heat 1/2-inch of oil in a large shallow skillet.
- Add the calamari pieces to the plastic bag with the salt and pepper and shake to coat well.
- Carefully drop the calamari pieces into to the hot oil and fry till golden. You may want to do this in batches; the calamari shouldn’t be crowded in the pot.
- When golden, remove calamari with a slotted spoon and drain them on several layers of paper towels.
- Toss the mizuna with half the dressing, and divide among four plates.
- Top each salad with a quarter of the fried calamari and drizzle with the remaining dressing.
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