Fritto Misto with Italian Tartar Sauce
Fritto Misto, the popular assorted dish of fish, meat or vegetables fried in batter has a history of over 1000 years with its origins in Genova near The Porta Antica. The MS Island Sky has recently been cruising around the Amalfi Coast and the islands of Naples and Portoferraio where there has been wonderful fresh seafood. So, the team purchased locally sourced calamari, prawns and scallops and then introduced the famous Fritto Misto on board for the evening menu, served with locally sourced Italian wines. If you wish to try this taste of Italy at home, here is the recipe. Darren Marchant Corporate Chef – the Sky Fleet |
Ingredients - serves 4
500g calamari |
8 large prawns, shelled and deveined |
8 large scallops, coral removed |
250g fresh cod fillet |
6 cups olive oil |
2 cups canola oil |
1 ½ cups of plan flour |
1 cup of cornflour |
2 lemons |
Pinch of salt |
Pinch of paprika |
Method
1. Place the olive oil and canola oil in small deep fryer making sure there is enough oil (a depth of at least 10 to 20cm). If not just add more oil to get the required amount, then switch on and set the temperature to 170 degrees.
2. Place the flour, cornflour, salt and paprika in a large bowl and give the mix a stir.
3. Place the calamari onto a chopping board and cut into 2cm rings. Place this in a separate bowl, then proceed to the cod and cut these into 4cm strips. Add these to the bowl along with the scallops and prawns. Marinate the seafood mix with the juice of 1 lemon for about 5 to 10 mins.
4. Add the seafood to the flour mix and give it a coating. Remove from the flour and dust of any excess before placing the seafood onto a tray.
5. Line a baking sheet or platter with paper towels.
6. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, place the prawns and scallops into the deep fryer and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes then repeat with the cod and calamari. The batter should be golden in colour and crispy.
7. Place on the paper towel and leave for 1 minute for the excess oil to run off. Place the seafood in a serving dish with wedges of the remaining lemon and serve.
Ideally serve with aioli or my favourite Italian tartar sauce for which the recipe is below.
ITALIAN TARTAR SAUCE
Ingredients
Handful of roughly chopped capers |
2 tbsp of chopped gherkins |
1 tbsp of anchovy paste, or one anchovy cured in olive oil, finely diced |
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced |
1.5 cups of mayonnaise |
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste |
2 tbsp of lemon juice |
Finely chopped fresh parsley |
Method
-
Whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl. Let the mixture sit overnight in the fridge before serving.
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