Crispy Calamari with Samphire & Ginger Aioli

I'm back I'm back I'm back! We fiiiiiiiinally got a phone line put in at our new house on Friday and so I am back with you in the online land of the living! Let's celebrate with some tasty fried food, deal?

Well it's safe to say that the last few months have been eventful to say the least - Pete, Cleo and I moved into a gorgeous Grade II listed terrace that we are all in love with. It was completely refurbished shortly before we moved in and has an adorable little private garden at the back with raised decking where I can sit barbecuing and drinking Pimms. I was a little worried as my new kitchen is quite a bit smaller than the last, but I'm coping ok - I am having to keep some of my kitchen appliances on top of the wall units but its a small sacrifice to pay to have such a lovely home.


I have also passed my driving test (first time, POW!) and properly opened my little bakery business www.sweet-treat-boutique.co.uk. It's still only in my free time from my full time job but its a start and its going really well - I am supplying the coffee shop of my local department store Tylers with my cakes and bakes as well as doing any custom orders I am receiving. But anyway, onto the food...



You can guarantee that if there is calamari on the menu I will order it. I love love love the stuff but find that I can often be disappointed at either a too heavy batter or over cooked rubbery squid. It's also not the kind of thing I'd like to cook a lot myself. Aside from the calorie content I really do hate deep frying stuff as I mentioned in my very first post - the things I do for you guys huh?

Now I buy my squid frozen in boxes from my local Chinese supermarket, but this means I have to prepare it myself as they are whole. One of the perks of this is that you get the tentacles, and they are my favourite part to eat. Preparing it yourself is a little messy and time consuming and I know some people will be too squeamish, but don't worry, you can buy cleaned squid tubes and even pre-cut squid rings from most supermarkets now. If you would like to try preparing it yourself, you can either shoot me an email via the link at the side, or just Google for instructions - there are even some videos on YouTube if you prefer to learn visually.


The samphire also needs a little preparation work and is now available from most fishmongers and I believe Asda now sell packets of it. I got mine from one of the stalls on Loughborough Market - a nice handful is more than you need and despite it being the new in food to eat it only cost £1.40. To prepare it all you need to do is pull off any thick roots or discoloured parts and give it a good wash with cold water. Easy. You'll probably have some leftover, so I suggest throwing it in a little potato salad or adding it to some pasta with flaked salmon, lemon juice and parmesan.

The actual deep frying itself is I admit very easy, just make sure you use a splash guard as it can be prone to spit fat when you add the squid. Don't be afraid, it is so very worth it! You want to start by preparing the aioli, so lets get straight to it...


Samphire and Ginger Aioli
Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients
1 large clove of garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg yolk, from a large room temperature egg
150ml extra virgin olive oil
100ml standard olive oil
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp runny honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
25g samphire, steamed for 3-4 minutes and finely chopped

Method
Crush the garlic clove with the salt into a paste and put into a large bowl with the egg yolk and whisk together. You now need to combine the oils and drizzle them into the egg yolk mixture very very slowly as you whisk - I did this with the whisk attachment on my KitchenAid but you could either use a food processor or do it by hand. Just make sure the oil is added slowly and in a very thin stream - you can see the technique on one of the pictures above.

Once all the oil has been added and the aioli has thickened up it's time to add the flavourings. You want to whisk in the ginger, honey and vinegars and then mix the finely chopped samphire in with a spoon. Keep the aioli covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

***

Calamari
Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a starter

Ingredients
500g squid rings (and tentacles if you can get them)
2 tbsp cornflour
4 tbsp fine cornmeal / semolina
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
enough vegetable oil to fill your pan 1.5-2" deep

Method
Heat the oil in a medium sized saucepan over a high heat.

Put the cornfour, cornmeal, salt and paprika into a zipper top food bag and mix around before adding the squid. Zip up the bag and give it a good shake around making sure you coat all the squid.

When your oil looks like it is shimmering test that it is hot enough by adding a little pinch of flour. If it sizzles you're ready to go.

Fry the squid in batches until it reaches a crispy golden brown colour - this will only take a minute or two - and remove it to some kitchen paper to drain off any excess oil.

Serve up with the aioli and a little salad and dig in!

Moussaka Burgers with Fried Aubergine Slices and Tzatzkiki

Burgers are pure genius, we all know this. Whether it be a juicy beef patty topped with bacon and cheese or a gorgeous fat veggie burger stacked with onion rings they can be perfectly tailored to anyone's taste. And I really do quite often choose the vegetarian option over the meat, a local Loughborough restaurant called Moomba's do a killer smoked aubergine and chickpea burger with halloumi - bliss!

But as good as a burger can be, I have far too often been disappointed by a greasy, grey, burnt to a crisp beef disc at many a barbecue. At the top of the list of burger fails for me is the minted lamb burger. Don't get me wrong, if this is made from scratch it can be beautiful but the pre-packed ones just never ever get it right... so I had to do something about it.

As you all know by now I am not the type of lady to do it simply, so rather than just put the mint into the patty itself I have put it in a sauce and fused two of my favourite dishes together to create what I concider one of the best burgers I have ever eaten - the moussaka burger. Seasoning the mince with cinnamon, parmesan, oregano and a little chilli and topping it with a tower of fried aubergine slices, then finishing with a cool slather of homemade cucumbery tzatziki creates pure burger perfection. The only thing missing is the bechamel, which I think would be far too bland as a burger sauce.

Although the fried aubergine slices may make it a little more difficult to serve as a barbecue dish you could always prepare them inside while the lamb burgers are being grilled and bring them out with the tzatziki. It just means you'll be indoors for a few minutes and therefore closer to the fridge full of drinkies and this isn't a bad thing, surely?

Moussaka Burgers with Fried Aubergine Slices and Tzatzkiki
Serves 4

Moussaka Burger Ingredients
800g fresh minced lamb
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
2 tbsp grated parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
4 ciabatta bread rolls
1 or 2 ripe beef tomatoes, sliced

Fried Aubergine Slice Ingredients
1 medium aubergine, cut into cm thick slices
lots of salt
100g plain flour

Tzatziki Ingredients
200g greek yoghurt
1/2 cucumber, deseeded and either diced very small or grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Method
Start your barbecue/grill/oven preheating to medium. Take your aubergine slices and lay them on a few sheets of paper towel, then sprinkle liberally with salt on both sides. Put these to one side while you prepare the burger patties.

Put the minced lamb into a bowl, sprinkle over all the herbs and spices and mix thoroughly with your hands. No-one wants to hit a big spice pocket in their burger so make sure everything is really well combined. Divide the mixture into four equal size balls and shape them into nice round patties, making a little indentation into the middle of each one - this stops the center bulging up and making the top bun topple off. Cover the four burgers with cling film and set aside in the fridge.

Next take your aubergine slices and press them into the flour, coating both sides and tapping off any excess. Place them back on to the paper towels and leave to settle while you make the tzatziki by combining the yoghurt with the diced cucumber, crushed garlic, mint, lemon juice and paprika. Cover with cling film and put into the fridge to develop it's flavour.

Pour olive oil into a heavy based saucepan until it is around half a cm deep and put on the hob to heat up until the oil starts to shimmer and smoke a little. Take your aubergine slices, dredge again with the flour and tap off the excess and then place in the hot oil to fry. They need 1-2 minutes on each side until they get a crispy golden coating. You'll need to do this in batches, when they are done remove them back on to the paper towels to remove any excess oil.

Cook your patties on one side of the grill and lightly toast the buns on the other. The burgers will take between 2-4 minutes on each side depending how thick you have made them. Basically, you want an even colour throughout and for the juices to run clear when poked.

Lay a few tomato slices on the bottom half of the bun, top with the lamb burger and slather over some tzatziki. Add a few slices of fried aubergine and the top half of the ciabatta roll and serve with some roasted new potatoes and a few salads of your choice - I recommend some sort of lemon and coriander cous cous concoction.

Sweetcorn and Red Onion Fritters

I must apologise for my lack of prose recently. I have had a very busy and muddled mind for the last few weeks which I put down to trying to do far more things than I am actually capable of. That last one has been a downfall of mine for years. I find it very very difficult to let people do things for me, this usually ends up with me being rushed off my feet suffering from a stress induced throat infection and then having a minor panic attack at/on/to Pete. Thankfully he now understands my crazy, or so I like to think, and knows that within a few minutes I will again be fine and smiling. Hugs are all I really need, I am a lot softer than my tattooed exterior would lead you to believe.

Hopefully now that I have realised my silliness and am trying to lighten my creative load I will be able to explain my inspirations for the things I cook and blog. I don't like to just get straight on with a recipe with no notes on why it is so delicious or significant in my life. I am the same with cookery books - this is probably why I love Nigella so much - she gives little anecdotes and cooking tips before each of her recipes. Nigella forever <3

These fritters were in fact a disaster the first time I tried to make them. My batter was much too runny and they ended up with raw centres. I was cooking them far too hot, charring the outside but leaving a gooey inner. Huge fail. This time however I put a little more research and thought into the batter recipe and they worked wonderfully. Since I made them three days ago I have had no less than eight seperate cravings for them. Discs of crispy fried corny perfection is what they may from now on be know as.

Sweetcorn and Red Onion Fritters
Makes 12

Ingredients
100g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chilli flakes or cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp salt
150ml milk
2 eggs, separated
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
250g sweetcorn kernels - I used a drained tin full
1 medium red onion, diced very small
sunflower oil for frying

Method
Place the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and white pepper into a bowl and mix together. Whisk the milk, egg yolks and parsley in a jug and pout into the flour mixture, beating until well combined.

Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and then fold into the batter along with the sweetcorn kernels and diced red pepper. Leave to one side while you heat a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan.

Fry heaped tablespoons of the mixture in batches over a medium heat for around 3-4 minutes on the first side, then flipping and cooking for a further 2-3 minutes. Place on a plate under foil and put into a low oven so they stay hot while you cook the rest of the fritters.

Serve warm with a little mayonnaise or salsa. You can freeze any leftovers for re-heating at a later date, just make sure you wrap them well in foil or plastic wrap.

Basil and Mozzarella Arancini

You know when you're watching a cooking show or reading a food blog and you come across a recipe that makes you practically jump in the air shouting 'holy crap I need that in my face NOW'? Yes, I believe you do.

Arancini are one of those things I've been aware of for a while but kept forgetting about, so the jealousy that swept over me when seeing some guy on Food Network chomping on one of these deep fried delights was just the kick in the butt I needed to get experimenting.

I always have reservations about deep frying, I'm not exactly sure why... There have been no hot oil burn incidents in my past, not that I can recall anyway - I've heard that extreme pain can block out memories but I'm pretty sure on this one. I think it might just be my aversion to smelly kitchens and when you fry some stuff you just can't help but get a kitchen full of greasy, fatty air. I could never, ever work in a fish and chip shop that's for sure.

Rambling aside, this 'fear to fry' paranoia was swept right out the door upon viewing the stringy melted mozzarella core of these golden risotto beauties. Unless you have a severe cheese hatred I defy you to look at the following picture and not salivate.

These babies really are special.

Now this recipe is in no way traditional, it's just my take on it. I've seen arancini filled with meat ragu, diced cooked mushrooms, a thick tomato sauce, even a venison type stew. A few of the concoctions I'd like to try in the future are roasting little vine or cherry tomatoes to encase in the risotto, roasted sweet potato cubes, and perhaps some creamy garlic and spinach.

I used leftover risotto from dinner the evening before which I'd made with lemon, saffron, mushrooms and prawns but use your imagination, these are very versatile little bites. At the end of this post I'll put a few links to some risotto recipes I think would work well in case you haven't developed a serious risotto fetish like I have. There's not a hint of shame there, I promise.

Basil and Mozzarella Arancini
Makes around 12

Ingredients
3 cups of cold risotto
1 packet of pizza mozzarella (the kind that doesn't come in liquid)
12 leaves of basil
2 medium eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups of breadcrumbs *
Enough oil to fill your pan about 3 inches deep **

Method
Cut the mozzarella into twelve 2cm cubes and wrap each one in a leaf of basil. Preparing a little arancini production line will make life a lot easier so put the bowls of beaten egg, breadcrumbs, risotto and mozzarella cubes together with a baking tray next to them.

Grab a small handful of risotto, about the size of a golf ball, and push one of the basil and mozzarella cubes into it. Squish the risotto around it make a ball shape with no gaps in the rice.
Next, coat the ball in the beaten egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs to give an even coverage. Place on the baking tray and repeat until you have all twelve done.

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F and then heat up your oil on the hob. The oil is hot enough to deep fry when you can see ripples in the pan. I usually throw in a pinch of flour to make sure - if it starts to fizzle and cook immediately the oil is ready, if it doesn't let it heat up for a few more minutes and try again.

Fry off the arancini in batches until they are a lovely golden brown, then remove them from the pan and let them sit on kitchen roll for a few minutes for the excess oil to drain off. You can then place these on a baking tray and sit them in the middle of the preheated oven to keep warm while you fry off the other batches.

Arancini are best served warm, not hot and are especially good dipped in a good quality tomato relish!

Recipe Notes
I used a half and half mix of traditional breadcrumbs and panko which are the Japanese version to coat my arancini. Panko is coarser and therefore gives a bit more of a crunch, and can now be found in most supermarkets.

Make sure whichever oil you use has a high smoking point such as vegetable, sunflower or a branded frying oil. This will stop your kitchen filling up with smoke and looking and smelling like an Alice Cooper concert.

Lastly, the best pans for deep frying are made of cast iron as they evenly conduct the heat so you don't get 'cool spots' in your oil.

Risotto Recipe Links

Smoked Salmon Risotto from Not So Humble Pie

Mushroom Risotto from Guilty Kitchen

Lemon Risotto with Saffrom from Little Kitchen LnL

Caramelised Onion Risotto from Fake Ginger

Whitby Crab and Wild Garlic Risotto from Louisa Parry

Vegan Pumpkin Risotto from The Post Punk Kitchen

Vegan Mushroom Risotto from Ashley Skabar