Mixed Fried Fish and Vegetables

Is a rich and sumptuous second course of seafood, one of the most delicious and irresistible. A perfect balance between the flavors of the sea and those of the land, thanks to the battered vegetables that give crunchiness and make the preparation even more appetizing. It is the convivial dish par excellence, perfect for special occasions, lunches and dinners with family or friends: a riot of strictly fried delights, both sea and land, sweet and savory. For this proposal, I chose a mix of small fish: sardines, shrimps, squid, mullet and various fish, without forgetting the inevitable cod fritters. To complete the dish, an explosion of color with vegetables wrapped in an irresistible crunchy breading. And to make this dish – already delicious in itself – even more special – a creamy tartar sauce, prepared with egg yolks, vinegar and extra virgin olive oil added in a trickle, perfect for balancing the richness of the fried food and giving a feeling of crunchy lightness. Fried fish is one of those dishes that everyone agrees on, but not all fried fish is the same! The difference between an impeccable fried food and one that disappoints can be subtle, but following a few simple rules allows you to obtain a perfect result and satisfy even the most demanding palates. The first fundamental aspect is the quality of the fish: it must be very fresh, smell of the sea and never of "old fish". Although the counter of our trusted fishmonger offers a wide variety, we often forget that fish has its own seasonality. Some species, in fact, are imported from distant seas and do not always guarantee the same freshness as the local ones. Now let's see what we need to make our Mixed Fried Fish and Vegetables. Ingredients for the mixed fried fish 2 squid 14 prawns 200 grams of octopus tufts Fish 12 sardines 4 mullets 300 grams of re-milled durum wheat semolina peanut oil salt tartar sauce to taste Ingredients for the cod fritters 500 grams of desalted and well-dried cod 120 grams of rice flour 120 grams of white flour 100 grams of Parmigiano Reggiano parsley Cold sparkling water white vinegar grated zest of a lemon salt freshly ground white pepper seed oil to taste Ingredients for the battered vegetables 2 eggs 220 ml milk 125 grams of white flour 2 tablespoons of oil 2 zucchini 2 carrots 1 bell pepper cauliflower florets oil to taste Preparation Let's start by cleaning the fish, or have it prepared by our trusted fishmonger. Wash the fish under running water and then cut the squid into rings. For the shrimp, we remove the carapace and shred the intestines. Clean the sardines and mullets: for the sardines, wash them thoroughly, remove the head, open them like a book and remove the central spine, leaving the tail intact. For the mullets, with scissors we remove the fins, cut the belly and extract the entrails, then scale the fish. In a dish, put the semolina and flour the fish, removing the excess flour. Bring the oil to temperature and fry each type of fish separately. Wash the cod fillets and cut them into pieces. Let's prepare the batter: in a bowl, combine 120 g of rice flour, 120 g of white flour, a pinch of salt, freshly ground white pepper and the grated zest of an organic lemon. Add the cold sparkling water a little at a time, stirring until you get a fairly thick batter. In a large pan, pour seed oil and heat it. When the oil is hot, dip the pieces of cod in the batter and fry them until golden brown. Once fried, place them on a sheet of kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil. In a bowl, beat the eggs and add the flour alternating with milk, being careful not to form lumps. Add the two tablespoons of seed oil, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. In the meantime, wash and peel the vegetables: cut the carrots and zucchini into sticks, the peppers into fillets and make the florets from the cauliflower. In a large pan, heat the oil. When it is hot, but not boiling, dip the pureed vegetables in the batter. Fry until golden brown, then drain them on a sheet of kitchen paper, add a pinch of salt and serve hot.