Episode 1: Deep Fried Calamari
It was a Saturday afternoon; the sun was shining and the winds of the West were blowing. The man-made lake next to my apartment complex was sending us the sweet aromas of suburban sea life. Today was the day for squid.
After visiting our friends at Podesto's and picking up our high-quality, pre-packaged, frozen squid, we went home and got to work. Instead of being a family of happy octupi, it was a 1 Pound solid brick of fishy flesh. Defrosting and seperating were the first tasks.
We laid out our freshly defrosted squid on a 100% organic birch cutting board and prepard to create the famous "calamari rings" -- previously thought to be a delicacy reserved for restaurants. The hollow bodies of the squid (also known as "tubes") would be sliced at regular intervals to create the sought after rings. The tentacles would remain intact until fry time. As the squid lay segregated, they called for Allison's freshly-sharpened blade.
Once cut, preparing the calamari for entry into the deep fryer was a 3 step process:
We had 1 pound of expertly cleaned, sliced and seasoned squid. To the deep fryer!
We filled the Kmart 1970s fryer with 3/4 gallon of
peanut oil and set it to 375 degrees. The oil licked and spat, indicating its excitement for the frying to come. The fryer, after lying dormant for 15 years, reflected the oil's enthusiasm.
Although their feelings were outwardly strong, they could not match the anticipation in our hearts. We had talked about it, dreamt about it, and visualized it happening for at least 2 weeks, and now it was actually going to occur! We were deep frying!
The safety light dimmed, signalling that the oil's premium frying temperature had been achieved. We overloaded a slotted metal spoon with a mound of breaded rings and tentacles.
The moment of truth was upon us. We lowered our bounty into the hot oil, being careful to avoid the tiny droplets of hot oil whizzing by our faces.
In an instant, the tasty morsels were submerged and frying. As they danced in the hot oil, we too celebrated the moment with a heartfelt embrace.
- 1. Playfully toss in plastic bag filled with flour/paprika/cajun seasoning concoction.
- 2. Slather in egg/soy milk mixture. (Substitute cow milk if desired)
- 3. Generously immerse in Italian bread crumbs until every crevice is evenly coated.
We had 1 pound of expertly cleaned, sliced and seasoned squid. To the deep fryer!
We filled the Kmart 1970s fryer with 3/4 gallon of
peanut oil and set it to 375 degrees. The oil licked and spat, indicating its excitement for the frying to come. The fryer, after lying dormant for 15 years, reflected the oil's enthusiasm.Although their feelings were outwardly strong, they could not match the anticipation in our hearts. We had talked about it, dreamt about it, and visualized it happening for at least 2 weeks, and now it was actually going to occur! We were deep frying!
The safety light dimmed, signalling that the oil's premium frying temperature had been achieved. We overloaded a slotted metal spoon with a mound of breaded rings and tentacles.
The moment of truth was upon us. We lowered our bounty into the hot oil, being careful to avoid the tiny droplets of hot oil whizzing by our faces.
In an instant, the tasty morsels were submerged and frying. As they danced in the hot oil, we too celebrated the moment with a heartfelt embrace.