Chef Jim Leiken of DBGB in New York City serves pesto-spiked mayonnaise as a dipping sauce for a salad of fried calamari, cauliflower, and chickpeas. This recipe first appeared in SAVEUR Issue #140 along with Laura Schenone's story Glorious Pesto
Ingredients
FOR THE PESTO MAYONNAISE:
- 1 1⁄2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup packed parsley
- 1 cup packed basil
- 1⁄4 cup toasted pine nuts
FOR THE CALAMARI:
- Canola oil, for frying
- 1 1⁄3 cups Wondra flour
- 1⁄3 cup cornstarch
- 1⁄3 cup chickpea flour
- 1 lb. cleaned calamari, heads cut into 1/4″-wide rings
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1⁄2 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped preserved lemon rind (optional)
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped lemon segments
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper or paprika
- 1⁄2 tsp. each ground cinnamon, ground cumin, ground ginger, sweet paprika, ground lime powder (optional), and ground black pepper
- 1⁄4 tsp. ground coriander
- 1⁄4 tsp. ground fennel seed
- Mixed greens, for serving
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Instructions
Step 1
Make the pesto mayonnaise: Heat oil and garlic in a 1-qt. saucepan over low heat, and cook until garlic is soft, about 4 minutes; remove garlic, set aside, and let oil cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, mustard, salt, and yolk until smooth; slowly drizzle in cooled oil, whisking constantly, until sauce emulsifies into a smooth mayonnaise. Puree mayonnaise, reserved garlic, herbs, and nuts in a blender until smooth; transfer to a serving bowl and chill.
Step 2
Pour oil to a depth of 2″ in a 6-qt. Dutch oven, and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Whisk together Wondra, cornstarch, and chickpea flour in a bowl; set aside. Combine calamari, milk, cauliflower, and chickpeas in a another bowl; drain and transfer to flour mixture, tossing until coated. Working in batches, fry calamari, cauliflower, and chickpeas until golden brown and calamari is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, and then place in a large bowl and toss with lemon rind and segments, salt, Aleppo pepper, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, paprika, lime powder, black pepper, coriander, and fennel. Transfer to a large serving platter on top of mixed greens and serve with pesto mayonnaise on the side.
- Make the pesto mayonnaise: Heat oil and garlic in a 1-qt. saucepan over low heat, and cook until garlic is soft, about 4 minutes; remove garlic, set aside, and let oil cool. In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, mustard, salt, and yolk until smooth; slowly drizzle in cooled oil, whisking constantly, until sauce emulsifies into a smooth mayonnaise. Puree mayonnaise, reserved garlic, herbs, and nuts in a blender until smooth; transfer to a serving bowl and chill.
- Pour oil to a depth of 2″ in a 6-qt. Dutch oven, and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Whisk together Wondra, cornstarch, and chickpea flour in a bowl; set aside. Combine calamari, milk, cauliflower, and chickpeas in a another bowl; drain and transfer to flour mixture, tossing until coated. Working in batches, fry calamari, cauliflower, and chickpeas until golden brown and calamari is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, and then place in a large bowl and toss with lemon rind and segments, salt, Aleppo pepper, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, paprika, lime powder, black pepper, coriander, and fennel. Transfer to a large serving platter on top of mixed greens and serve with pesto mayonnaise on the side.
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