WSVN — Crispy, crunchy and downright delicious, for seafood lovers that means calamari. That’s what’s on the menu tonight as we grab a Bite with Belkys.
The Chef: Juliana Gonzalez
The Restaurant: Barceloneta on Miami Beach
The Dish: Calamares a la Romana
Ingredients:
Calamares
2 Squids (fresh or frozen)
2 egg whites, frothed
Rice flour & Corn Starch – mix equal parts together
Lemon wedge
Dip
2 Tbs. Mayonnaise
1 Tsp. chopped garlic
lemon zest to taste
salt to taste
Method of Preparation:
-Start by frothing some egg whites. When they’re done, put them on ice to keep cold.
-Cut up the calamari (squid), which you can buy fresh or frozen. Chef Juliana slices down the side, opens it up and lightly scores it to make it more tender. Score in two directions, then cut into strips and then in half. Also cut the tentacles in half and dip it all into the egg froth. Some prefer not to open the squid but to cut across to make rings. Either way is correct.
-Next, add equal parts cornstarch and rice flour together and mix well. This is a gluten-free alternative to flour. Dip the calamari in the mixture and cover well.
-Fry in Canola oil at 375 degrees until it’s golden brown and crispy, 2-3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel, sprinkle on some salt and set aside.
-To make a simple dip, add together chopped garlic, mayonnaise, lemon zest and salt. Mix well and it’s done.
To Plate:
-Plating is simple. Put the garlic mayo in a dipping bowl and arrange the Calamari around it.
Serving suggestion: Verdejo wine from the Rueda region of Spain.
Serves: 2
Barceloneta
1400 20th Street
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 538-9299
http://barcelonetarestaurant.com/
And for the latest and greatest on all things culinary, check out my Bite Blog.