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Fried Squid With Aioli

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Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
  • Active Time

    20 minutes

  • Total Time

    35 minutes

How does this remain shatteringly crisp? The secret is hiding in the batter: potato starch and arepa flour, the tickets to everlasting crunchiness.

Ingredients

4 servings

2/3 cup potato starch
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 3/4 cups arepa flour (precooked cornmeal), divided
1 large egg yolk
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil (for frying; about 8 cups)
6 ounces cleaned squid, bodies and tentacles separated
4 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, sliced into 3-inch pieces
4 very thin lemon wheels
1/3 cup torn basil leaves

Special Equipment

A deep-fry thermometer
  1. Step 1

    Whisk potato starch, baking powder, and 3/4 cup arepa flour in a large bowl. Whisk in 2 1/3 cups water; let sit 30 minutes to allow flour to hydrate. Place remaining 1 cup arepa flour in a shallow bowl.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, whisk egg yolk, garlic, and lemon juice in a small bowl to combine. Whisking constantly, gradually drizzle in grapeseed oil and olive oil; whisk until sauce is thickened and emulsified. Season aioli with salt; stir in 1 tsp. water.

    Step 3

    Fit a large pot with thermometer; pour in vegetable oil to come 3" up sides of pot. Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 375°F.

    Step 4

    Meanwhile, cut squid. Slice bodies lengthwise along one side and open to expose interior. Cut in half crosswise (or in thirds if large). Cut each half (or third) into 1 1/2" triangles; cut tentacles in half. Rinse; pat dry.

    Step 5

    Working in batches of 5 or 6 and returning oil to 375°F between batches, dredge squid, scallions, and lemon in arepa flour, shaking off excess; dip into batter, letting extra drip off. Fry, turning every 30 seconds or so, until golden, crisp, and puffed, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels; season with salt. Top with basil and serve with aioli.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories (kcal) 980 Fat (g) 65 Saturated Fat (g) 8 Cholesterol (mg) 145 Carbohydrates (g) 92 Dietary Fiber (g) 1 Total Sugars (g) 1 Protein (g) 13 Sodium (mg) 160
Ingredient Info

Arepa flour, sometimes sold as masarepa or harina precocida, can be found in Latin markets and some supermarkets.

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