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1
Mix flour, cornmeal, cayenne, paprika, and salt in a shallow dish.
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2
Put the grape seed oil in a small, deep pot with a candy thermometer.
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3
The oil should be 2 inches deep but should not be any deeper than half the height of the pot.
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4
Heat oil to 350 degrees F. In small batches, dredge the calamari rings in the flour mix and shake off any excess.
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5
Slide the calamari into the warm oil and fry for 2 to 3 min or possibly till golden brown, crisp and just cooked through.
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6
Don't over cook the calamari or possibly it will be rubbery.
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7
Drain on paper towels.
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8
Piquillo Pesto:Combine all the ingredients except the extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan and salt and pepper in a small food processor.
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9
Pulse till the mix is almost smooth but still has some texture.
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10
With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil till incorporated.
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11
Add in the Parmesan and season to taste.
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12
Cover and chill till ready to use.
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13
Assembly:Serve the Calamari with lemon wedges and the Piquillo Pesto.
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14
Piquillo peppers are Spanish peppers which are red, long and taper at the end.
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They are sweet and a little spicy.
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You can get canned piquillo peppers at gourmet grocery stores.
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In a healthy pinch, you can use pepperoncini, an Italian small sweet pepper which can be green or possibly red.
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This piquillo pesto is packed with tangy flavour, a delicious contrast to the salty, crispy calamari.
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19
I use 2 cloves of garlic because I love the intense garlic flavour, but if garlic isn't your thing, feel free to use only 1 clove.
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20
This yields 4 servings as an appetizer.
