Calamari

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
• 1 large bell pepper cut brunoise red julienne then crosswire into
• 1 large bell pepper cut brunoise yellow juliennes then crosswire into
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 1 liter enough to deep-fry calamari 
• 2 pounds calamari cleaned sliced
• 0.8 cup cornstarch 
• 1.5 cups flour all-purpose
• 1 ounce ginger fresh diced peeled finely a 1 to
• 1  optional: lemon fresh seeds removed halved
• 1  lime fresh seeds removed halved
• 0.5 cup oil sun-dried tomatoes packed drained sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 4  to 5 scallions white green sliced
• 8 ounces seltzer cold
• 1 tablespoon wasabi prepared

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• paper towels
• ladle
• whisk
• sieve
• colander

Directions

1. Toss calamari with buttermilk in a non-reactive bowl, cover and let marinated in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
2. Make topping by heating olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet.
3. Add peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, scallions, fresh ginger, and wasabi and saute until peppers are tender and flavors integrate.
4. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Drain marinated calamari through a strainer or colander.
6. Heat canola oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (or as deep-fryer manufacturer directs for similar foods). To make tempura, mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Dredge sliced calamari in the dry mix, then set aside briefly.
7. Add seltzer in a stream to the tempura mix while whisking constantly to make into a batter. Dip calamari into the batter or ladle batter over the calamari, and place into the deep-fryer basket, frying for a minute or two until golden brown.
8. Drain on paper towels.
9. Finish by adjusting seasoning in topping with salt and pepper.
10. Serve topping over fried calamari and squeeze lemon and lime juice over.