Fried Calamari

Name: Fried Calamari
Yield: Serves 4 as a hearty appetizer
Ingredients: ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk; 4 squids, cleaned, not butterflied, cut into ¼-inch (6-mm) rings; 4 ounces (113 g) baby squid with tentacles; 1 sprig fresh dill; ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed; A few drops to ¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce (to taste); 4 cups (960 ml) peanut oil, for frying; Lemon wedges, for serving; 2 large eggs; 2 to 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish (to taste); 1 cup (240 ml) gluten-free ketchup; ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice; ½ teaspoon dried dill (optional); ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper; 1 bay leaf; ½ cup (85 g) instant polenta

Preparation info

Serves
4
as a hearty appetizer

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Everyday Art of Gluten-Free

By Karen Morgan

Published 2014

About

What makes these seriously crunchy—and delicious is the instant polenta. Soaking the squid in milk helps to keep the all-too-easily toughened seafood tender—the lactic acid breaks down some of the proteins. It is this pairing of opposing textures—the tenderized squid rings with the crisp polenta coating—that makes this recipe absolutely delicious.