Recipe Of The Day: Fried Calamari With Salsa Recipe From Chef James Tahhan

Fried calamari is a favorite amongst many, but Chef James Tahhan suggest pairing it with salsa instead of the traditional tomato-based sauce. This gives the appetizer dish a fun Latin twist, but is delicious just the same. Making calamari may seem difficult, but a quick skim of the recipe below reveals that it's an easy dish to make that can impress your guests and family.

INGREDIENTS

1 liter of grapeseed oil
1 pound squid rings
2 cups flour
2 lemons
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper

INGREDIENTS FOR SALSA

1/2 yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
2 bunches of celery
32 ounces crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped basil
4 bay leaves

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oil to 350 degrees. Mix the flour with smoked paprika, black pepper and salt. We put the squid rings in flour and then took them to the hot oil and fry for about a minute and a half. We removed and put the squid on a plate with a paper towel. Salsa: We put all the vegetables in a food processor and process for a minute. Heat a deep pot, add olive oil and fry the pureed vegetables over medium heat for about 4 minutes. Then add the crushed tomatoes and whole basil to release their perfume, like bay leaves.