Fried Calamari

For the calamari:

1 pound calamari, whole tentacles and bodies sliced into ½ inch thick rings

3 cups milk, for soaking

a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup cornstarch

a pinch of baking powder

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

neutral oil for frying, like grapeseed or peanut oil

For serving:

your favorite tomato sauce, for dipping

your favorite mayonnaise, for dipping

lemon wedges

Place the milk in a bowl or dish and add a couple dashes of hot sauce. Add the calamari to the milk and let soak for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to fry the calamari, remove the soaked calamari from the refrigerator. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch and baking powder in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk to mix.

Heat 2 inches of oil to 350˚F in a heavy-bottomed, deep-sided pot or cast iron pan. Line a tray or large plate with paper towels.

Working in small batches, remove the calamari from the milk, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge the calamari in the flour, tossing to make sure it’s evenly coating. Gently shake off any excess flour and carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry calamari until golden brown all over, then remove from the oil, allowing any excess to drip off and transfer to the paper-towel lined plate to drain. Season with a little salt while warm.

Continue frying in batches until all of the calamari is cooked.

Serve with lemon wedges and tomato sauce and kewpie mayonnaise for dipping.

Fried Calamari

About The Author

Michelle Bernstein