Equipment
Ingredients
Mojo Verde (Tangy Herb Sauce)
- 30 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 30 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic, peeled
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml white wine vinegar
- 2 g ground cumin
- 3 g fine sea salt
Seafood & Coating
- 250 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
- 250 g squid tubes, cleaned and cut into 1cm rings
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g chickpea flour
- 6 g fine sea salt
- 1000 ml neutral frying oil
- 4 lemon wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbohydrates
- 31 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 993 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 246 mg
- Potassium
- 562 mg
- Calcium
- 97 mg
- Iron
- 2.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 78 mg
- Phosphorus
- 354 mg
- Zinc
- 2.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 64 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 20 mg
- Vitamin E
- 4.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 160 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.31 mg
- Niacin
- 2.1 mg
- Folate
- 81 mcg
- Water
- 132 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the cilantro, parsley, garlic, vinegar, cumin, and sea salt in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil until the sauce emulsifies into a smooth, vibrant green mixture. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to let the flavors meld.
Thoroughly pat the shrimp and squid rings completely dry using paper towels. Moisture is the enemy of a crispy crust, so ensure the surface of the seafood is as dry as possible.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, chickpea flour, and sea salt until completely uniform.
Pour the frying oil into a heavy-bottomed pot, ensuring it is no more than half full to prevent bubbling over. Heat the oil to exactly 190°C/375°F, using a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature.
Working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pot, drop a handful of the dried seafood into the flour mixture. Toss vigorously to coat every piece, then transfer to a fine-mesh strainer and shake off all excess flour so only a thin, translucent layer remains.
Carefully lower the floured seafood into the 190°C/375°F oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently with a spider skimmer to prevent sticking, until the coating is golden and crisp. The squid will become opaque and the shrimp will turn pink.
Remove the fried seafood using the skimmer and transfer immediately to a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Season immediately with a light dusting of fine sea salt while still hot.
Transfer the hot seafood to a serving platter. Serve immediately alongside the freshly made Mojo Verde and lemon wedges.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to authentic Andalusian fried seafood (pescaito frito) is the flour blend. Chickpea flour adds an earthy depth and fries up significantly crispier than wheat flour alone.
- Moisture is the enemy of a good fry. If you have the time, letting the squid and shrimp sit on paper towels in the fridge for an hour allows the surface to dry completely, ensuring the flour adheres tightly.
- Mojo Verde originated in the Canary Islands but is a spectacular pairing for mainland Spanish fried dishes. Its sharp acidity from the vinegar cuts the fat of the fry beautifully.
- Never drain fried foods directly on paper towels if you can avoid it; the steam gets trapped underneath and ruins the crispy crust. A wire rack allows air to circulate.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store the sauce separately in an airtight container.
Reheating: Fried seafood does not reheat well but can be crisped in an oven at 200C/400F for 5 minutes if absolutely necessary.
Troubleshooting
The seafood crust is soggy or oily instead of crisp
Cause: The frying oil temperature dropped too low, likely due to overcrowding the pan
Fix: Cannot be fixed once soggy
Prevention: Fry in smaller batches and wait for the oil to fully return to 190C/375F between batches
The squid rings are rubbery and tough to chew
Cause: The squid was left in the frying oil for too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Fry squid for no more than 3 minutes; it cooks incredibly fast
The coating falls off the seafood in the oil
Cause: The seafood was too wet before dredging, or excess flour wasn't shaken off
Fix: Cannot be fixed for the current batch, dry the remaining raw seafood more thoroughly
Prevention: Ensure seafood is bone-dry before coating, and shake off loose flour so it doesn't clump
Cultural Context
Fritura de marisco, or mixed fried seafood, is a cornerstone of southern Spanish coastal cuisine, particularly in Andalusia where 'freidurias' serve up paper cones of crispy fish. Traditionally enjoyed as a communal appetizer, this dish celebrates the freshness of the catch using minimal coating to let the ocean flavors shine.
