Fried Calamari

Squid lightly dusted in flour and flash fried

Calamari is served all over the Mediterranean, but I first made it in Spain, so the Spanish version has a special place in my heart. Many tapas bars serve this classic, sometimes even with whole baby squid. It is tasty served simply with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of salt, but also goes well dipped in a garlic aioli or a tangy marinara sauce.

This recipe makes calamari with a very light crust. You can make the crust thicker by dipping the squid in beaten eggs after coating it in flour. Cooking time will be the same. Squid is a finicky little number. You either have to cook it for a very brief time at high heat or simmer it for a long time – everything in between tastes like rubber. So be warned, fry your calamari for two, maybe three minutes tops.

Ingredients:

· 1.5 lbs. squid, cut into rings*

· 2/3 c. flour

· 4 c. vegetable oil

· Salt to taste

· 2-3 lemons cut into wedges for squeezing

ü You will also need a cooking thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil

Directions:

1. Heat oil over high heat in a medium saucepan. Monitor temperature.

2. Put flour in a plastic bag or a bowl.

3. Place a small handful of the squid pieces into the flour and toss to coat evenly.

4. When the oil has reached 370°Fahrenheit (about 185° Celsius), gently place the coated squid pieces into the hot oil.

5. Toss another small handful of squid in the flour. Continuously adjust heat to keep the temperature as close to 370° as possible.

6. When the squid begins to brown, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon. The calamari should only take about two minutes to cook through. DO NOT OVER COOK! Drain on paper towels.

7. You may need to wait for the temperature to rise before adding your next batch of squid to the oil. Repeat, cooking in small batches until all of the calamari has been fried.

8. Sprinkle your fried calamari with salt. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

* When preparing whole squid, remove the head, the innards (including the plastic-like pen – isn’t it cool?) and rinse. If it is a medium-small squid, you can also cook the tentacles as one piece (cut away from head without bursting the ink sac). Cut the body tube into ½ inch (1 cm) rings.