I first had calamari steak "strips" on the Hawaiian Island of Maui while sitting at a golf club bar in Kahului. They were served as an appetizer with drinks, and are delicious served as a first course or a lite meal. If you live on Molokai, you can usually find these steaks at Friendly Market (see photo below).
Here's my recipe, I think you will like it:
Calamari Steaks Cut Into Strips And Pan Fried
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Ingredients for fried calamari steak cut into sticks:
4 calamari steaks that were already tenderized
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Package of two frozen calamari steaks from Friendly Market on the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i Click on photo to view larger |
2 eggs beaten in a small bowl
3/4 cup of cornmeal
salt and pepper for seasoning
Ingredients for dipping sauce:
1 14-ounce can of tomato sauce
1 lime or lemon
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
hot sauce to taste
Procedure:
Place oil in a large skillet. Place each calamari steak on a cutting board and cut into 1/2 inch wide strips. You will get 5 strips per steak depending on the size of the calamari steaks. Season the sticks with a little salt and pepper to taste. Beat eggs in a medium size bowl and place the calamari steak sticks into the eggs to coat them. Now put the cornmeal on a large bowl and coat the calamari sticks with the cornmeal. Fry the coated sticks in the skillet over medium high heat until crisp, turning the sticks while cooking them. These cook fast – do not overcook as they will get tough!
I usually make a dipping sauce out of a 14 ounce can of tomato sauce that is seasoned with fresh lemon or lime juice, garlic powder and a little hot sauce to taste. Enjoy!
Makes 4 servings.
For other octopus recipes on tastinghawaii.com, click here.
Lemon Garlic Calamari
This dish makes a great appetizer. Serve over a bed of greens for a salad course, or over pasta for an entrée. Serve with the same wine you used for cooking.
1/2 pound calamari
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Large squeeze fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
Add wine, reduce by half. Add calamari; toss to coat; and cook for about 2 minutes or until just translucent (be careful not to overcook).
Add butter and swirl to melt. Remove from heat.
Squeeze the lemon in, sprinkle with parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 2 to 4 servings.
Calamari Salad
This is a wonderful main-course salad using squid (calamari), that has been briefly cooked then marinated in a flavorful dressing.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds of cleaned squid
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Red Boat brand fish sauce
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise (1 cup)
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
1 cup of red and 1 cup of yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Procedure:
Rinse squid under cold running water, then lightly pat dry between paper towels. Halve tentacles lengthwise and cut bodies (including flaps, if attached) crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide rings.
Cook squid in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just opaque, about 60 seconds of cooking is all it takes. Drain in a colander and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. When squid is cool, drain and pat dry.
Meanwhile, combine squid, olives, tomatoes, celery, and parsley in a large bowl. Toss with dressing and let stand at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator to allow flavors to develop.
Makes 4 servings.
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 small red onion, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise (1 cup)
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
1 cup of red and 1 cup of yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Procedure:
Rinse squid under cold running water, then lightly pat dry between paper towels. Halve tentacles lengthwise and cut bodies (including flaps, if attached) crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide rings.
Cook squid in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just opaque, about 60 seconds of cooking is all it takes. Drain in a colander and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. When squid is cool, drain and pat dry.
Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, oil, fish sauce, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl, then stir in onion and let stand 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine squid, olives, tomatoes, celery, and parsley in a large bowl. Toss with dressing and let stand at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator to allow flavors to develop.
Makes 4 servings.
Fried Calamari
The secret to tender yet crunchy calamari is to start with a soak in buttermilk. This slightly acidic liquid gently tenderizes the squid, and since the buttermilk is extra thick, it helps the breading adhere to the rings, eliminating the need for beaten egg. For added crunch, you can’t beat cornmeal; its fine, pebbly grains fry up crispy. Serve with your favorite marinara.
Ingredients:
1 pound cleaned squid, tubes cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings and tentacles left whole (about 2 cups), rinsed
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 1/4 ounces)
3/4 cup corn flour (about 3 1/4 ounces)
6 Tbsp. fine yellow cornmeal (about 2 1/4 ounces)
2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
Lemon wedges, for serving
Place cleaned squid pieces in a medium bowl. Pour buttermilk over squid, and toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Meanwhile, pour canola oil to a depth of 1 3/4 inches into a Dutch oven; heat over high to 375°F.
Stir together all-purpose flour, corn flour, cornmeal, Old Bay, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a shallow dish.
Working in batches, remove squid pieces from buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge squid pieces in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Add to hot oil, and fry until lightly golden and crisp, about 45 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain. Let oil return to 375°F between batches. Transfer fried calamari to a large bowl, and toss with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a platter, and serve with lemon wedges.
Makes 4 servings