Ingredients
For dredging:
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
For the batter:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups white wine
- 1/2 cup seltzer
For frying:
- For frying: About 1 1/2 to 2 quarts frying oil, such as safflower oil, olive oil blend or canola oil
- 1 1/2 pounds sustainable white to light pink fish filets, such as sustainable cod or snapper, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 pound calamari bodies and tentacles, bodies cut into 1/2-inch rings
- 16 jumbo shrimp, deveined, shelled, tail on
- 1 zucchini, sliced thinly on the bias
- 1 small butternut or delicata squash, halved, seeded and sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons
- Sage leaves
- Parsley leaves
- Rosemary leaves
- Thinly sliced lemon
For serving:
- Lemon wedges
- Flaky sea salt
- Chili flakes or hot sauce
Yield
Serves: 6
Preparation
For the batter, place flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and whisk in wine and seltzer. Let stand 30-60 minutes.
Place seafood on a large towel-lined sheet pan.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or tabletop fryer to 365°F. Place flour, salt, pepper and Old Bay in shallow dish for dredging and set near fryer or the stove. Set up a rack topped with paper towels over baking sheet to remove fried seafood to.
Working in small batches, dredge some of the fish, shrimp and calamari lightly then dip in batter just before adding to the hot oil. Fry to crisp and golden brown; remove and drain on paper towel-lined rack. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and a little chili flake.
When all of the seafood is done, dredge squash and zucchini, coat in batter and fry to golden. Lastly, fry herbs and sliced lemon the same way until crisp. As foods come out of hot oil, sprinkle with sea salt and chili flakes.
Arrange piles of seafood and veggies on parchment or butcher paper or on a large cutting board. Scatter fried herbs and lemon slices among the seafood and place lemon wedges alongside. Pass hot sauce at the table.
MORE:
Mac and Seafood Au Gratin
Curtis Stone’s Seafood Pasta
White Cioppino
