Peruvian Fried Seafood Platter with Lime-Marinated Onion and Tomato Salad

Ingredients

• For the salsa criolla:
• 1/2 large red onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 medium plum tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1 fresh aji amarillo pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh juice from 3 limes
• Kosher salt
• For the fried seafood:
• 1 1/2 to 2 quarts peanut, canola, or vegetable oil
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 cups light beer, divided
• 1/2 pound skinned and boned firm white-fleshed fish, such as halibut, wild striped bass, or cod, sliced into 1 1/2- by 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp
• 1/3 pound cleaned squid bodies and tentacles, bodies sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch rings
• To Serve:
• 1 recipe Fried Yuca With Spicy Mayo, for serving

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the onion, tomatoes, cilantro, aji amarillo, garlic, and lime juice, tossing everything until it’s evenly mixed. Add salt to taste. Leave it alone for about 10 minutes, giving it a stir now and then, until the onions relax a bit and turn a brighter pink. Drain the mixture well.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pour the oil into a fryer, medium pot, or wok and bring it to 350 degrees F, adjusting the heat as you go so the temperature stays steady.
3. While the oil heats, put 1 1/2 cups flour in a large bowl with the corn starch, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, and paprika. Whisk it all together. Pour in 1 1/2 cups beer and whisk until you have a thick batter; a few little flour lumps are totally fine. Place the remaining 3 cups flour in a separate medium bowl.
4. Coat the white-fleshed fish in the flour, shake away the extra, then move it into the beer batter and turn it so it’s covered. Working with 1 piece at a time, lift the fish and let the extra batter fall back into the bowl; a wire strainer can make this easier. Put it back into the dry flour and quickly coat both sides. Continue with the rest of the fish. Pick up the pieces with your hands and gently toss them through your open fingers to knock off excess flour. Carefully lower them into the hot oil and fry, moving and turning them often, until the outside is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Move the fish to a large mixing bowl lined with paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and shake gently so the towels soak up the oil. Transfer the fish to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
5. Raise the oil temperature to 375 degrees F, adjusting the heat as needed to hold it there. Dredge and batter the shrimp the same way, then fry until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to the large mixing bowl lined with fresh paper towels, season with salt, and shake gently to absorb the oil. Move the shrimp to the wire rack with the fish.
6. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup beer into the batter until it’s fully mixed in; it will loosen the batter a little, which makes the squid easier to handle. Dredge the squid the same way, taking care to let each piece drain well of batter before the final flour coating. Fry until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer the squid to the same large mixing bowl, lined again with fresh paper towels, and season with salt. Shake gently to absorb the excess oil.
7. If the fried seafood has cooled, place it in the oven until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Pile the fried seafood onto a plate. Spoon the Salsa Criolla over the top and serve immediately with fried yuca and its dipping sauce.