Felicity Cloake's Salt and Pepper Squid: A Crispy Seafood Masterclass
Felicity Cloake's salt and pepper squid recipe offers a delightful seafood treat that is crisp, savoury, and aromatic. This dish can be prepared in less than half an hour with just a few simple steps, making it an ideal choice for a quick and impressive dinner. The combination of hot, crunchy batter and tender, creamy squid is utterly irresistible, and there's no need to save it for special occasions—it's easy enough to enjoy any night of the week.
Ingredients and Preparation
To make this dish, you will need 350g of small sustainably-sourced squid, cleaned and defrosted if necessary. The seasoning includes ¾ tsp black or white peppercorns, ¾ tsp Sichuan peppercorns, and ¼ tsp fine salt. For the batter, use 50g potato starch or cornflour, a generous pinch of MSG (optional), and one beaten egg. Neutral oil is required for deep frying, along with one red chilli, two spring onions, and one garlic clove for the finishing touches.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Alternatives to Squid If you're not a fan of squid, this recipe can be easily adapted. You can use small pieces of chicken or fish, whole prawns, or mushrooms like king oysters. For high-water-content ingredients, blanch and drain them first to ensure a crisp coating.
Step 2: Squid Preparation Use smallish squid for best results, though any size will work. Have your fishmonger clean them if needed, or follow an online guide. Separate the bodies from the tentacles, then cut open the bodies and slice the flesh into bite-sized triangles. Score the inside in a diamond pattern without cutting through to speed up cooking and enhance appearance.
Step 3: Drying the Squid Pat the squid pieces and tentacles dry with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. Ensure they are as dry as possible to prevent the batter from becoming soggy. You can chill the squid until ready to cook, but make the coating just before frying.
Step 4: Toasting the Peppercorns In a dry frying pan over medium-high heat, toast both types of peppercorns until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar, add the salt, and crush into a powder. Optionally, add spices like Chinese five-spice, paprika, or chilli flakes for extra flavour.
Step 5: Making the Batter In a shallow bowl, mix about three-quarters of the pepper mixture with the potato starch and MSG if using. Corn, rice, or tapioca flour can substitute for potato starch, though wheat flour will yield a heavier batter. In a second bowl, beat the egg to loosen it—this adds crunch, but omit for a thinner coating.
Step 6: Coating and Frying the Squid Half-fill a large pan or wok with neutral oil and heat to 180°C. Use a thermometer or test with a chopstick for bubbles. Dip each squid piece in the egg, shake off excess, then roll in the seasoned starch to coat. Fry in batches for 90 seconds to two minutes until curled and pale golden, stirring to prevent sticking. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat, ensuring the oil returns to temperature between batches.
Step 7: Finishing Touches Heat a splash of oil in a clean frying pan and briefly fry the chilli, spring onion, and garlic until golden. Turn up the heat, add the squid, and toss to reheat. Sprinkle with the remaining pepper mix and serve immediately while hot and crisp.
Why This Recipe Stands Out
This salt and pepper squid recipe is not only quick and easy but also versatile, allowing for substitutions to suit different tastes. The aromatic blend of peppercorns and the crisp batter make it a standout dish that can elevate any meal. Whether you're a seafood lover or looking to try something new, this recipe from Felicity Cloake is sure to impress with its simplicity and delicious results.
