Deep – Fried Celery Hearts, Squid, And Lemon Slices With Aioli

Deep – Fried Celery Hearts, Squid, And Lemon Slices With Aioli - Piccolo Fritto (little Fry), is a smaller version of the classic Italian Fritto misto (mixed Fry) of bite-size Foods.

Deep – Fried Celery Hearts, Squid, And Lemon Slices With Aioli

Ingredients :
For the Aioli :

• 1 Large clove garlic, peeled and cut into a few pleces
• 2-3 pinches salt
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup mild olive oil

For The Fritto :

• 2 Quarts peanuts oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup semolina
• 1 celery heart, root end trimmed, stalks separated, and only pliable ½ “- wide 4” stalks reserved
• 1 large lemon, scrubbed in hot water, thinly sliced, seeds removed, and ends discarded
• 1 lb whole squid, cleaned, body cut into 1/3 “-wide rings, tentacles left whole
• Salt

Directions :

1. For the Aioli : Pound garlic with a mortar and pestle. Add salt and smash the last solid bits of garlic. Add egg yolk and stir with the pestle, work in oil, a gradually increasing the flow as the yolk becomes tacky and opaque. As the yolk reaches saturation, the mixture will make a satisfying clucking sound. Adding a few drops of water to aioli will whiten and soften it, allowing you to add more oil, which you may choose to do if you find the garlic remains too aggressive.
2. For The Fritti : Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat until temperature reaches 365-370 on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, pour buttermilk into a wide shallow bowl and set aside. Combine flour and semolina in a wide shallow pan and set aside. Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside. Dip celery into buttermilk, then transfer, dripping, to the flour mixture. “ Shimmy” the breading pan so that the pieces settle, coating their sides, then flip each piece to coat other side. Lift out breaded celery, tap to remove excess flour, then transfer to prepared sheet pan without stacking. ( This simple coating is never uniform and does not need to be. Ideally, the breading will have wrinkles and some barely coated spot) Repeat breading process with lemons, then with squid.
3. Add a few pieces of batter-coated celery at a time to the hot oil without crowding. Fry celery, Undisturbed, Until a pale golden crust sets, 1 ½ - 2 Minutes. Using tongs, very gently turn any pieces that wont otherwise brown on the top. Don’t fuss with the frying food, the fragile breading must stay integral, or the fritto will go limp and become greasy. Once golden, lift out the pieces with tongs or a mesh skimmer, dangle them briefly over the oil to let drip, then set gently on paper towels to let drain, repeat flying process with lemons, then with squid, frying lemons for 45-60 Second, squid rings for 1-1 ½ Minutes, and Tentacles for 45 Second.
4. Season Fritto lightly all over with salt, divide among four warm paper napkin-lined pates, and serve with aioli.

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