The squid is a marine mollusk with an elongated and oval body, which together with the cuttlefish and the octopus, has managed to transform its mantle into a muscular body wall with the vestiges of the shell inside. Thanks to their very fine muscle fibers arranged in multiple layers and hardened by the collagen of their connective tissue, they are crunchy when barely cooked.
Who came up with the idea of battering and frying squid? According to the most widespread story, in the 16th century it was the Portuguese Jesuits who made battered fish popular in Japan during Lent. This is where tempura came from, and it seems that squid were called "a la romana" because of their Latin origin, but not because they come from Rome.
If we make them Roman style, a concern arises, how do we know how to get them just right? These are the 10 mistakes you should never make when frying and frying your squid:
1. Not choosing the right calamari
If we want to have good calamari a la romana, the best thing to do is to choose fresh, hard and powerful squid.
2. Not cleaning well and not taking advantage of the leftovers
It is important to clean the squid well. First we must remove the tentacles and focus on the bag. We will remove the feather or calf from the inside, the skin and the fins. Then we will turn it over like a sock.
3. Do not pay attention to the size of the pieces and rings.
The squid can be cut 2 or 3 cm wide, straight or crosswise and always with a sharp knife.
4. Do we make a previous marinade?
A previous marinade can be made using a marinade with garlic, bay leaf, olive oil and lemon juice and submerge the squid. They are left to rest for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator so that the flavor takes hold. Salt is added at the end and then they are dried.
5. Do not dry the squid before flouring. What flour do I use?
Whether we marinate the squid or not, what is certain is that we have to dry them very carefully. It is very important. Any flour is valid, wheat flour is the most common but if you have a guest with celiac disease you can always use corn or chickpea flour.
6. Is it necessary to separate the yolk from the white?
It is not necessary, beat the egg whites until stiff and the result is added to the previous mixture to make it more airy and fluffier. Chef Dani García beats the yolks with the flour with his hands and adds a little beer to intensify the flavor.
7. Which oil should I use?
If the oil is of high quality, our squid will be the winner.
8. Too much time and temperature
Crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.
This preparation is quite fast. "The idea is little time and high temperature, although we cannot overdo it with the degrees because the excess heat can burn the oil and damage the taste of the squid", top temperature 190-200 degrees C. "Just enough time for the egg to set, make a thin crispy golden layer and that's it". Also it is necessary to place them sufficiently separated, not to crowd them so that they are made well and homogeneously.
9. Not removing excess oil, piling them up and taking too long to eat them.
Once cooked, the excess oil should be removed from the squid with kitchen blotting paper before serving. "It is important not to pile them one on top of the other when serving because they get wet with the steam and lose their crispiness".
10. Wanting them to be soft
"It is a mistake to want the squid to be soft. It has to be firm and crunchy, that indicates that we have bought it of good quality", points out the Catalan cook referring to the cephalopod, not to the batter. Tough and very substantial. We cannot forget that eating fried foods in excess favors overweight, the increase of cholesterol, triglycerides and the appearance of cardiovascular pathologies. Therefore, we should not abuse them, it is better that it is a delicious festive appetizer.
At Pescatore Seafood we make your life easier and we have them breaded and ready to bake, air fry or cook.
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