Pier 615 Recipe

In a medium bowl, combine fresh lime juice, lemon juice, and cold fish or seafood stock.

Add minced ginger, minced garlic, chopped cilantro stems, sea salt, black pepper, and sugar. Whisk to combine until sugar dissolves.

Stir in finely chopped limo pepper (start with 1 tsp; adjust to taste) and 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning — it should be bright, slightly salty, and balanced between acidity and a touch of sweetness.

Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl to remove solids (reserve solids if you want to briefly marinate some calamari in it later). Chill the leche de tigre in the fridge while preparing the other components, at least 15 minutes. Makes ~1 3/4 cups.

Pat calamari tubes and tentacles very dry with paper towels. Slice tubes into 1/2-inch rings; leave tentacles whole or halved if large.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper and paprika. Add cold sparkling water or beer gradually and stir just until a slightly lumpy batter forms. Batter should coat but not be overly thick; adjust with a tablespoon more liquid if needed.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or pot to 365°F (185°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a small pinch of batter — it should sizzle and float immediately.

Dredge calamari rings and tentacles lightly in a small amount of dry flour (this helps the batter stick), shake off excess, then dip into the batter to coat. Allow excess batter to drip off for a couple seconds.

Fry calamari in small batches (do not overcrowd) 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per batch until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack set over a tray or paper towels. Immediately season lightly with a pinch of salt.

Keep fried calamari warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while you finish frying remaining batches.

Sweet potato: Heat 1 cup neutral oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Pat sweet potato pieces dry, then fry in batches until tender and edges are lightly crisp, about 4–6 minutes depending on cut size. Remove to paper towels and season with salt.

Plantain chips: Using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice plantain lengthwise or on the bias into 1/16–1/8-inch slices. Heat remaining 1 cup oil in a small heavy pan to 350°F (175°C). Fry plantain slices in small batches until golden and crisp, about 1–2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with a small pinch of salt. (Alternatively bake thin slices tossed with a little oil at 400°F/200°C until crisp, ~10–12 minutes.)

Choclo and cancha: If choclo (large-kernel corn) is not already cooked, simmer ears for 8–10 minutes and remove kernels. Warm cooked choclo kernels briefly in a pan with a teaspoon of butter or a splash of leche de tigre if desired. Toasted cancha should be ready to go — if using store-bought, briefly warm in a dry skillet to revive crunch.

Onions & final prep: Thinly slice red onion and rinse briefly under cold water to tame sharpness, then drain well. Keep lime wedges and cilantro leaves ready.

To assemble (per 2–3 servings): Spoon 3/4 cup chilled leche de tigre into shallow serving bowls or a wide, shallow plate. Scatter 1/4 cup choclo kernels and 2 tbsp cancha over the leche de tigre. Arrange fried sweet potato pieces and a small handful (about 2 tbsp) of plantain chips around the edges.

Top the leche de tigre with a generous pile of freshly fried calamari (about half of the batch — adjust to preference). Garnish with thinly sliced red onion, cilantro leaves, and microgreens if using. Serve extra lime wedges on the side.

Optional finishing: Spoon a little extra leche de tigre over the calamari, or drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil and a few drops of raw limo pepper for extra heat. Serve immediately so calamari and chips remain crisp.