Fried Squid Recipes

FLASH FRIED SQUID

Steps:

• Prepare gremolata: In a small bowl, combine the parsley, horseradish, and lemon zest; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne; set aside.
• To cook the squid, heat 2 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a straight-sided pot. Be sure not to fill your pot more than halfway up the side with oil, because it will foam during frying.
• Pat the squid dry, and toss in the seasoned flour mixture to coat. Let stand 1 minute. Shake the floured squid in a sieve to remove any excess flour. Fry in batches, without crowding, until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Drain the squid on paper towels. (Frying a batch of squid will bring the temperature of the oil down. Be sure to reheat the oil in between batches and check the temperature again with a deep-fry thermometer before adding more squid.)
• Season squid with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the gremolata over squid. Serve immediately with aioli and lemon wedges.

FRIED SQUID

Steps:

• Put 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, spread about 1/4 of the squid at a time on several layers of paper towels and put another couple of layers of towels on top, blotting squid to rid it of as much moisture as possible. Season squid with salt and pepper; put flour in a bowl.
• When oil is hot, put about 1/4 of the squid in flour, then move it to a sieve over the bowl and shake to remove any excess. Add squid to oil along with some jalapeños if you like, adjusting heat as necessary so temperature remains nearly constant. Fry until squid is lightly browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Start next batch while you eat the first with lemon wedges.

FRIED CALAMARI

Steps:

• Pour enough oil into a heavy large saucepan to reach the depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Mix the flour, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Working in small batches, toss the squid into the flour mixture to coat. Carefully add the squid to the oil and fry until crisp and very pale golden, about 1 minute per batch. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
• Place the fried calamari and lemon wedges on a clean plate. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with the marinara sauce.
• In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

KALAMARAKIA TIGANITA: CLASSIC GREEK SMALL FRIED SQUID (CALAMARI)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Defrost the squid according to the package instructions, if you're using frozen rings. Otherwise, clean the squid in preparation for frying, keeping the tentacles in one piece.
• Season the squid with salt. You can also add pepper if desired.
• Preheat a deep skillet or a heavy-bottomed frying pan over low heat.
• Pour oil into the frying pan. It should not be any deeper than half the depth of the pan. Turn the heat up to high.
• Dredge the squid in the flour and let sit for a few minutes.
• Gently shake off any excess flour.
• Add the squid to the pan when the oil is hot. Check the oil by touching a piece of the calamari to it. If the calamari sizzles, the oil is ready.
• Fry the squid without crowding them until they are crisp and golden brown on all sides, about 1 to 3 minutes.
• Remove them with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.
• Garnish with parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.

FRIED CALAMARI

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the milk and 2 teaspoons salt. Cut the squid tubes 3/4-inch thick, then add to the milk mixture along with the tentacles. Let sit for 5 minutes or up to 1 hour. (Refrigerate if soaking for more than 15 minutes.)
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and paprika or black pepper (if using). Use your hands to shake excess milk from the squid, then transfer to the flour mixture. Toss until well coated; you may need to open up the tubes to ensure their insides are coated in flour.
• In a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium, heat ½ inch of oil to 375 degrees. Line a plate or sheet pan with paper towels. Add a handful of the squid to the oil and cook until golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir only after the coating seems to have set. (Any sooner and the coating could fall off.) Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer to the lined plate. Season with salt.
• Return the oil to 375 degrees, fish out any browned bits, and repeat with the rest of the squid in batches. Eat with a squeeze of lemon and/or dunked in marinara sauce.

FRIED CALAMARI

Steps:

• Check calamari for breaks and slice into 1/8- to 1/4-inch rings.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place 2 cups flour in a bowl. Whisk milk and eggs together in a separate bowl. Place remaining 4 cups flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a third bowl; mix thoroughly.
• Toss calamari rings in the plain flour. Move to the egg mixture and thoroughly coat. Move to the seasoned flour and coat fully. Move back to egg mixture if not thoroughly coated; coat with seasoned flour again.
• Submerge floured calamari in the hot oil until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Lift out with a slotted spoon, letting oil drip off. Drain on paper towels. Place calamari in a small bowl; check seasoning. Add parsley and lemon wedge for garnish.

CRISPY FRIED CALAMARI & AïOLI

Steps:

• Cut the tentacles off the squid and put in a bowl. Slice the squid tubes into roughly 1cm thick rings and add to the bowl. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan over a low heat, ensuring it is no more than two-thirds full.
• For the aïoli, mix the mayonnaise, garlic, saffron and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Toss the squid with the flour, cornflour, baking powder, cayenne and ½ tsp salt. When the oil has reached 170C on a thermometer, or when a cube of bread is dropped in and turns golden brown in 30 seconds, deep-fry the squid in batches for 2 mins, or until lightly golden and crisp. Set aside on a tray lined with kitchen paper. Serve the fried squid with the aïoli on the side for dipping.

DEEP-FRIED CALAMARI RINGS

Steps:

• Stir flour, 2 teaspoons salt, paprika, and black pepper together in a shallow bowl.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Press calamari rings into the flour mixture until evenly coated, shaking off excess flour.
• Working in batches, fry calamari rings in the hot oil until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer cooked calamari to a paper towel-lined plate; sprinkle with salt. Serve calamari with cocktail and lemon wedges.