Dry Fried Calamari

To top off the top-notch tapas, we made calamari. We bought a bag of frozen, pre cut calamari, and it was surprisingly good. I like this dry fried version, as it is very light and not saturated in oil like some calamari can be. Goes great dipped in the Paprika Aioli!

Dry Fried Calamari

Makes 4 appetizer servings. Recipe from Alton Brown.

Ingredients
2 quarts peanut oil (we didn’t use this much… you just need enough to cover the calamari)
1 pound squid, tubes and tentacles
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plain cornmeal
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Place the peanut oil in a 4 to 5-quart Dutch oven and place over medium-high heat. Heat oil until it reaches 375 degrees F.

Rinse the squid thoroughly and pat dry. Cut the tentacles in half lengthwise and the tubes into 1/2-inch rings. Set aside.

Place the flour and the cornmeal into a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. In small handfuls, dredge the squid in the flour and cornmeal mixture and shake off the excess. In batches, gently lower the squid into the hot oil. Cook for 1 minute. The squid will not be browned, but lightly golden in color. Remove the squid and transfer to a cooling rack turned upside down set over a newspaper-lined sheet pan. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Repeat until all of the squid is cooked. Make sure to check the temperature of the oil before each batch to ensure it is 375 degrees F. Serve immediately.