Recipe Notes

TIPS FOR PERFECTLY FRIED CALAMARI

• Tenderize the Squid. Soaking is so important! Read more on the soaking section above.
• Coat in Flavored Flour. Seasoning the flour makes a difference! Make sure to coat the squid very well before frying.
• Careful on the oil. So the trick is to fry them in small batches and not let them drink so much vegetable oil. In fact, frying them for just 2 minutes is quite enough—more than that they will become oily, and even worse—they will become rubbery.
• It’s the same concept with shrimps, the more you cook them the gummier they become. And to fix that, you’ll need to overcook them with plenty of fluids for a while so they soften up a bit. But no matter how they soften up, they never have the same texture as the perfectly 2 minute cooked ones.
• Don't overcook or undercook your calamari. Keep your oil temperature steady between 350º and 365º to avoid overcooking or undercooking the calamari. If you have an oil thermometer, use that to determine when to dump it into the fryer.
• Test oil without a thermometer by dropping a piece of the battered calamari into the oil. If it starts sizzling and bubbling right away your oil is good to go.
• How to maximize flavor. The trick to infusing so much flavor into this zesty calamari is to actually sprinkle the herbs and spices on them after they’re fried and while still hot. This way they absorb so much flavor and taste lighter and fresher than if they were just fried.
• My favorite way to zest them up is with a mixture of lemon zest, herbs, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. This tiny final step really makes your calamari stand out. So by all means don’t skip it, and by all means, feel free to use your favorite spice/herb combo!
• How to get crispy fried calamari. Before frying, let your floured rings sit for just a couple of minutes in a strainer or colander. This gives the calamari and flour time to mesh with each other. Otherwise, you will lose the coating in the fryer.