While squid is popular in many cultures, and the recipes diverse, the most popular way is the simplest – deep fried squid, or calamari fritti to the Italians.
Many Bermudians still feel the delectable mollusk is fit only for bait – but this recipe might change their minds!
Ingredients
For the Squid
3 lbs squid (buy it already cleaned, cut into rings and tentacles)
about a cup of flour, well seasoned with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
3 or more cups of peanut oil for deep-frying
For the Tomato Salsa
2 large, ripe Bermuda tomatoes
2-3 jalapeno peppers
1 Bermuda onion, thick slices
2 cloves garlic, whole, on a skewer
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
1/4 cup water (you might need a little less or a little more)
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
Start by making your salsa.
Char the tomatoes, jalapenos, onions and garlic either over an open flame, on the grill or in a hot iron skillet until the skin blisters and turns black in spots – and in the case of the onion and garlic, marks well and is softened.
Rub off most of the charred tomato and jalapeno skin.
Put all ingredients (other than the water) in a food processor and pulse, adding the water, until you reach a rough-textured salsa.
Add salt to taste.
Use immediately or refrigerate for 2-3 days. Serve it at room temperature.
And now for the main event, the calamari!
Dry the rings and tentacles thoroughly with paper towel.
Coat well with seasoned flour. A good way to do that is to put the flour & squid in a plastic bucket or paper bag and just shake it gently until coated, then fish out (pardon the pun!) and pieces.
Heat the oil to 350F, hot but not smoking. Test the heat by dropping a small piece in the oil – it should sizzle up immediately and come to the surface.
Fry up the squid in batches, until golden. Do not crowd the pan.
Drain well on paper towels.
Taste and salt again if necessary.
Serve with the salsa and enjoy!
