Recipe: Fried Calamari with Crispy Kale & Pumpkin Pomegranate Sweet and sour Sauce

Key step

To achieve perfectly tender and crispy Calamari, make sure your oil is at 375°F and fry in small batches for no longer than 90 seconds!

Ingredients

serves 4

Dipping Sauce - Makes about 2/3 cup

1 cup pomegranate juice

1/2 cup Global Gardens Pumpkin Dream Dark Balsamic Vinegar (substitute balsamic vinegar)

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

Crispy Kale

4 ounces kale or baby kale leaves

2 tablespoons Global Gardens Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil (substitute extra virgin olive oil)

1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Calamari

1 pound squid rings and tentacles, completely thawed if using frozen

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder

1 1/2 cups Global Gardens Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil (substitute extra virgin olive oil)

Optional - Fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish

Prepare the Sauce

In a small saucepan, whisk together the pomegranate juice, balsamic vinegar, grated ginger, soy sauce, and honey. Bring mixture to a boil on medium heat then adjust heat to maintain a low boil and cook for 20 minutes until reduced by more than half. You can dip a spoon in and if the sauce clings to the back of the spoon as it drips then its ready. Watch for rapidly forming foamy bubbles as another sign when the sauce is done. Let sauce cool completely before serving. While you are preparing the sauce and waiting for it to reduce and cool, prepare the kale.

Prepare the kale

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, evenly toss the kale with the olive oil and salt, working it in with your hands. Lay the kale flat in an even layer onto the lined tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until kale is crispy, flipping the kale midway through cooking. Prepare the calamari while you wait.

Prepare the Calamari

In a large bowl or deep dish, pour the squid rings and tentacles in and add season evenly with the salt. Pour in the buttermilk, making sure every piece of squid is coated. Transfer to the fridge and let sit for 15 minutes while you prepare the dry dredge and get the oil heated up.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Set aside.

After 15 minutes of letting the squid soak in the buttermilk, drain the squid out and coat each piece with the dry dredge, tapping off any excess dredge then laying them down on a tray, evenly spaced. Repeat with every piece of squid.

In a medium saucepan, pour in the olive oil and set heat to medium. The olive oil should fill up a third of the saucepan, about 3 inches from the bottom, you might need to add a little more oil depending on the pan/pot you are using. Bring the oil to 375°F, if you don’t have a thermometer, grab a wooden spatula or chopstick and stick it in the oil. If you see small bubbles rapidly forming from the wood then that’s a good sign your oil is hot enough. If the oil is starting to smoke then it has become way too hot, lower heat to low and wait for it cool down before frying. This step is very important, if the oil temperature is too low, then the calamari will come out soggy but if oil is too hot, the coating will burn and the calamari might overcook. When your oil is at the right temperature, carefully add in a small batch of the coated squid and fry for no longer than 90 seconds, do not move them around too much initially or you risk the crust coming off the squid but after the first 30 seconds you can carefully stir them around. After 90 seconds of frying, using a slotted spoon, immediately remove the calamari, and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Wait for oil to come back to temperature before adding in the next batch. Do not overcrowd the pan, I like to do the whole process in 5-6 batches.

Finish plating by putting a layer of crispy kale as a bedding for the calamari and sprinkle with fresh pomegranate seeds. Serve alongside the dipping sauce and enjoy this deliciously crispy and tender calamari with a sweet and tangy pumpkin pomegranate dipping sauce!

Levi LOVES his calamari!