The New England Issue: Seafood Canapes + Salt & Pepper Squid Recipe

Written by: Jen Middlehurst

When set with the brief of a New England theme the Kalm Kitchen team immediately set to work planning a selection of delicious seafood dishes. Surrounded by Long Island to the South and the Atlantic Ocean to the East, the New England region in the US is synonymous with white wooden houses, traditional fishing villages and the Ocean - a focus on fresh fish seems perfectly fitting.

Our small canapé bites include seared king prawns on a bed of sea salt, deep fried Cornish crab cakes with garlic aioli, and salt & pepper squid with mango and chilli salsa. When it came to displaying thee canapés we kept it simple and pared back the props and garnish - best served on white washed wooden boards and accompanied with pretty white & blue napkins for a hint of nautical inspiration.

If you're choosing to incorporate an element of New England inspiration into your day, why not accompany these dishes with large dispensers of iced tea - the perfect refreshment for a hot summer's day!

To make your own Salt & Pepper Squid, follow our simple recipe

ingredients:

750g baby squid
1 tsp each of black, white and Sichuan peppercorns
1 tsp sea salt
6 tbsp cornflour
1.5 litres vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 red chilli, sliced
4 spring onions, sliced
lime wedges, to serve

method:

1. Cut the tentacles off the squid and slice the tubular bodies into thick rings. Dry with kitchen paper.

2. Crush the peppercorns and the salt in a mortar until finely ground. Mix with the cornflour.

3. Heat the oil in a small pan to 180C (or until a cube of bread dropped in the oil turns golden brown in 30 seconds). In batches, coat the squid in the cornflour mix, shaking off excess, and very gently lower into the oil. Deep-fry until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. Deep-fry the garlic, chilli and onion for about 30 seconds. Serve at once with lime wedges.

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Categories: the style guide · Tags: anneli marinovich, b.loved styling, canapes, catering, classic, kalm kitchen, nautical, new england, new england issue, recipe, seafood, style guide, summer