Fried Calamari & Clams with Red Sauce!!

Ingredients

Ingredients:

2 lbs. calamari with tentacles – cut into circles

12 clams – left whole

1 cup of flour

1 cup of cornmeal

1 cup of milk

Dashes of paprika

Dashes of sea salt

Dashes of fresh ground black pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

Fresh grated Romano cheese

For the Sauce:

Juice from the clams – strained

Juice of ½ lemon

1-29 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

1 red onion – sliced

6 cloves of garlic – chopped

Handful of fresh basil – ripped

Dashes of red pepper flakes

Dashes of sea salt

Dashes of fresh ground black pepper

Dashes of dried oregano

Olive oil

Preparation

For the Fish:

Combine the cornmeal with the flour and add the seasonings and grate about a ¼ of a cup of Romano cheese in the cornmeal and flour. Combine well.

Place the milk in a shallow dish and dip the calamari and clams first in the milk and then in the cornmeal and flour mixture.

Heat a frying pan with about 2 inches of vegetable oil and a piece of garlic. Place the pieces of fish in the hot oil, do not overcrowd the pan, fry until the fish becomes slightly golden and takes shape.

Place the fish on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

For the Sauce:

Heat a large frying pan with a few drizzles of olive oil. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté until the onion becomes soft. Combine the strained clam juice with the lemon juice and add to the pan. Add the crushed tomatoes, seasonings and basil and simmer on low.

Add the fish gently to the sauce and grate Romano cheese on top and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve this as is or on top of spaghetti, either way it is delicious!!!