Day 24: Calamari with Aioli Vs Bitterballen/Kroketten

Day 24: World Cup Final

Spain 1 The Netherlands 0  

Spain are World Champions

3rd Place playoff
Germany 3 Uruguay 2

For the final meal of the World Cup Kitchen I have decided to also have a food match between something from the 2 cuisines. Like the football match itself Spain would always be the favourites and like the match itself Spain did indeed win 1-0.

For the Dutch I tried my best to replicate the Dutch favourite: Bitterballen & Kroketten. Personally I am not a huge fan of either and cooking it has not overly changed my opinion but try them yourselves if you like, perhaps they might be for you?

On the Spanish side I went for Calamari. Given what our tentacled friend in Germany, Paul the Octopus said I felt drawn to Calamari with some lemon wedges. Calamari are of course squid but I am sure you will forgive me on this one. The secret to tasty calamari is to soak them overnight in milk and they turn out absolutely perfect.

Calamari with Aioli

Ingredients
500g Squid
Milk
Flour
Salt
1 Egg
Oil to Fry (olive or sunflower whichever you prefer)
Lemon

Cooking Utensils:
Frying Pan
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Kitchen paper
Ziplock bag


Preparation
 

 - With your Squid you will need to remove the head and the tail of each piece. Then you need to remove the skin and turn inside out and clean.
- Cut squid into 1cm rings
 

- Put Squid in milk overnight, this will help to soften them
- Before frying make sure that they are very dry
- In a bowl you will want to mix some flour with black pepper
- You now want to take your dried Squid and coat in the flour, transfer to a ziplock bag
- Now add one beaten egg to the ziplock bag and coat all the squid in the egg before frying
 

Cooking:
- Put oil in a frying pan (1.5 cm of oil more or less)
 

 

- When hot enough (a piece of bread should rise to the top and go crispy within a minute), remove the squid from the Ziplock bag and place in the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes

- Remove and strain on some kitchen paper and serve with Aioli & lemon wedges

Aioli

Ingredients

2 cloves of garlic
Pinch of salt
1 egg yoke
½ tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp lemon juice
60ml Extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp Vegetable oil

Method
- In a pestle mortar break up your garlic & salt into a paste
 

- In a separate bowl mix together your egg, mustard & lemon juice
- Continue mixing and slowly add together your oil to the mixture
 

- Continue until all the oil is combined and at the end add your garlic
- Cover until required and serve with your Calamari


Dutch Bitterballen/Kroketten
Ingredients
500g minced veal
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp white flour
120ml milk
120ml chicken stock
½ tsp paprika, salt & pepper
½ tsp chilli, curry powder (optional)
1 tsp worchester sauce
1tsp fresh parsley
Breadcrumbs
1 egg
4 Tbsp White Flour
2 Tbsp water
Super fine breadcrumbs
Enough Sunflower oil for frying

Cooking Utensils
Frying pan
Non-stick saucepan for sauce
Mixing bowls for breadcrumbs, egg & flour

Cooking
- Brown all mince in a frying pan and leave to cool
 

- Melt butter in a saucepan and when fully melted add your flour until a roux is formed
 

- Slowly add your milk until you have a very thick paste.
 

- Now add your chicken stock and you will notice the sauce starting to thin slightly
 

- Finally add all your seasoning, spices, Worchester sauce & herbs. Blend all together
 

- Finally you will now add your cooked mince
- Let mixture cool completely (overnight for best results) 

- When making your Bitterballen or Kroket form together in the desired shape
 

- Roll in flour then your egg & water emulsion and finally in your breadcrumbs
 

- Cook the above in hot oil for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and serve with grained mustard

 
ENJOY!!!