Nautilus Calamari

Calamari…One of the ocean’s most elusive creatures, taken from the deep and transformed by fire and oil into something… unexpectedly inviting. The coating is crisp…golden as though touched by the furnaces of the Nautilus itself. Beneath it, the flesh remains tender, delicate. A remarkable contrast. And these hot vinegar peppers…ah. Sharp. Aggressive. They strike with the sudden force of a storm current. The tartar tempers the dish…cool, creamy, civilized. It restores balance after the peppers’ assault…Excellent. The crunch echoes like breaking hull timber. The salt recalls the sea itself. Mankind may misuse the ocean’s gifts…yet now and then…it creates something worthy of admiration.

Ingredients

for two sandwiches

4 squids, tentacles and tubes
1 cup flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground bay leaf
1/4 tsp Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup bonito flakes
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp soy sauce
2 cups neutral oil for frying
1/2 lemon (plus 2-3 lemon wedges)
1 cup drained hot pepper salad
1/2 cup Let Them Have Their Tartar Sauce

Directions

For the calamari, slice the tubes into rounds. Combine the garlic powder, onion powder, ground bay leaf, paprika, and oregano in a small bowl to combine. Season the calamari, tentacles and tube pieces, with the spice mixture.
In a 1 cup measure combine the milk, soy sauce, and tobiko flakes, let sit for 15 minutes to steep and then drain the mixture to remove the tobiko flakes into a small bowl to be used as part of your breading station. In an other small bowl, combine the flour and potato starch.
In a sauce pan, heat the oil to 350 degrees F for frying. Dredge the seasoned calamari in the flour mixture, then the milk mixture, and back in the flour mixture again. Shake off any extra flour and fry in batches for 3-4 minutes or until gloden brown. Allow calamari to drain on paper towels and season with sal and juice from half a lemon. Toss seasoned calamari with drained hot pepper salad.
Serve with Let Them Have Their Tartar Sauce and lemon wedges.