Fried Squid Po-boy with Avocado & Black Chile Oil

Prep Methods/Techniques
Cuisine
Course
Servings 4
Description
This might be the best sandwich ever made. I take no credit for this recipe. It comes from the cookbook 'wichcraft by Tom Colicchio. I have made a dozen of the sandwiches in this cookbook and every one was terrific. But this one is spectacular.
Noted on 2/14/2012
Ingredients
  • 1 lb small squid (bodies and tentacles), cleaned
  • 3 lemons
  • Kosher salt
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • All-purpose flour
  • 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced
  • 4 hero rolls (soft or chewier, your choice)
  • 4 tsp Black Chile Oil, see Cook's Notes (I use a bit more)
Method
  1. Rinse the squid and cut the bodies into 1/4-inch rounds. In a bowl, toss the squid in the juice from 1 lemon and season with salt. Fill an 8- to 10-inch pot with enough vegetable oil to come about 2 inches up its side. Make sure the pot is deep enough to leave at least 4 inches above the oil. Heat the oil to 350-360°F. The oil is ready when you can see it moving around in the pot; test with a small piece of squid, making sure that the oil sizzles when the squid is added. In a bowl, toss the squid in a generous amount of flour and shake off any excess. Working in batches, fry the squid until golden and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the squid to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt.
  2. Layer the avocado on the bottom half of each hero roll and coat the top halves with the chile oil. Stuff the rolls with the squid and squeeze a generous amount of juice from the remaining lemons on top. Close the sandwiches and serve.
Cook's Notes
Find the recipe for Black Chile Oil here.
Instead of making your own chile oil, try my new favorite condiment Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp. It tastes completely different from the Black Chile Oil, but boy is it good.
Yield
4 servings
Source/Adapted From
Tom Colicchio's 'wichcraft