In college, I worked at a seafood restaurant called The River Lane. Their signature dish was a Parmesan crusted calamari filet with lemon butter sauce. I used to have it for dinner all the time when I was working. Unfortunately, the owner retired a few years ago and the restaurant closed. I missed this appetizer so much, and I would occasionally mention it to my family that I wish I could have this dish again soon. My mom's friend finally pried the recipe out of the head chef from the restaurant recently and gave me an envelope with the recipe for Christmas. I made this Christmas Eve for the family and the Parmesan crust tastes exactly as I remember!
Ingredients:
6 Calamari steaks (thawed, drained, and blotted dry)
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream
1 1/2 cups Sartori Parmesan, grated
2 sticks salted butter
Lemon Butter Sauce:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
2 tablespoons yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
1/3 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper
Preparation:
1. Make the lemon butter sauce. In a non-stick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add garlic and onion, cook until garlic is fragrant and onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
2. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Let reduce for about 3-5 minutes, until about 1/4 cup of liquid is remaining.
3. Turn heat to low. Whisk in remaining butter, 2-3 tablespoons at a time. The low heat is key here, otherwise the sauce will break and separate. Pour into a separate bowl through a fine mesh strainer to remove the onion and garlic. Let sauce come to room temperature, stirring occasionally. This take about an hour for the sauce to cool completely.
4. While sauce is cooling, mix eggs and milk in a flat bowl, lightly scrambling the eggs. Prepare flour and Parmesan cheese is separate flat, shallow bowls.
5. Bread calamari in flour, then egg wash, then Parmesan cheese. Bread all filets before starting to cook.
6. Heat butter in a deep wide skillet. Butter should be hot, but not quite boiling.
7. Fry breaded calamari filets in butter, flipping once.
8. Serve warm with lemon butter sauce and a wedge of lemon.
Ingredients:
6 Calamari steaks (thawed, drained, and blotted dry)
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream
1 1/2 cups Sartori Parmesan, grated
2 sticks salted butter
Lemon Butter Sauce:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
2 tablespoons yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
1/3 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper
Preparation:
1. Make the lemon butter sauce. In a non-stick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add garlic and onion, cook until garlic is fragrant and onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
2. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Let reduce for about 3-5 minutes, until about 1/4 cup of liquid is remaining.
3. Turn heat to low. Whisk in remaining butter, 2-3 tablespoons at a time. The low heat is key here, otherwise the sauce will break and separate. Pour into a separate bowl through a fine mesh strainer to remove the onion and garlic. Let sauce come to room temperature, stirring occasionally. This take about an hour for the sauce to cool completely.
4. While sauce is cooling, mix eggs and milk in a flat bowl, lightly scrambling the eggs. Prepare flour and Parmesan cheese is separate flat, shallow bowls.
5. Bread calamari in flour, then egg wash, then Parmesan cheese. Bread all filets before starting to cook.
6. Heat butter in a deep wide skillet. Butter should be hot, but not quite boiling.
7. Fry breaded calamari filets in butter, flipping once.
8. Serve warm with lemon butter sauce and a wedge of lemon.