Recipes from Rick Stein

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Deep Fried Squid and Aïoli

Deep Fried Squid and Aïoli Recipe picture

“The crisp golden panko breadcrumbs and sweet local squid from St Ives Bay, quickly fried, then dipped in the garlic mayonnaise is one of my favorite tastes of the summer. The dish is originally from Rick Stein’s Seafood, but a few years ago after a trip abroad Rick decided it would be better in panko breadcrumbs, rather than simply seasoned flour, so we changed it and I think he was right.”

Miles Corbett, head chef at Stein’s Fish & Chips in Padstow

 

© Original recipe from Rick Stein's Seafood, courtesy of BBC Books, first published in 2001.

 

 

Serves 4

350 g (12 oz) cleaned squid

1 quantity aïoli

50 g (2 oz) panko breadcrumbs

Sunflower oil, for deep-frying

Thin lemon wedges, to serve. 

 

For the aïoli:
Makes 175 ml (6 fl oz)

4 garlic cloves

½ teaspoon salt

1 medium egg yolk

2 teaspoons lemon juice

175ml (6 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

 

Method 

1.   Cut the squid pouches across into rings.

2.   Season the squid with a little salt, toss in panko breadcrumbs and deep fry in batches at 190oC (375 oF) for 1 minute until crisp and golden. Drain briefly on kitchen paper.

3.   For the salad, layer 3 – 4 thin slices of tomato on each plate with the dill and some seasoning. Put the squid and 1 heaped tablespoon of the aioli alongside. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

 

Aïoli

1.   Put the garlic cloves onto a chopping board and crush them under the blade of a large knife. Sprinkle them with salt and then work them with the knife blade into a smooth paste.

2.   Scrape the garlic paste into a bowl and add the egg yolk and the lemon juice. Using an electric hand mixer, whisk everything together and then very gradually whisk in the olive oil to make a thick mayonnaise-like mixture.

 

 Preparing squid for stir frying

step 1 Hold the squid's body in one hand and the head with the other and gently pull the head away from the body, taking the milky white intestines with it.

 

 

 

 

 

step 2 Remove the tentacles from the head by cutting them off just in front of the eyes. Discard the head and separate the tentacles if they are large.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3

Squeeze out the beak-like mouth from the centre of the tentacles and discard it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 4

If you want to retain the ink sac, look amongst the intestines for a very small, pearly white pouch with a slight blue tinge and carefully cut it away.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 5

Reach into the body and pull out the clear, plastic-like quill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 6 Pull off the two fins from either side of the body pouch. Then pull away the brown, semi-transparent skin from both the body and thefins. Wash out the pouch and body with water. Then dry the squid thoroughly to remove any water.

 

 

 

 

 

( Last Updated: 15-09-2011 )