14
Fried Calamari
Makes about 4 servings
2½ pounds cleaned calamari, including some tentacles
vegetable oil for frying
2
cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1
tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1
teaspoon granulated garlic
1
teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
marinara sauce for dipping
fresh lemon wedges for garnish
Rinse and drain the calamari; place on thick layers of paper towels, pressing
and blotting them completely dry with another layer of paper towels on top.
Cut the bodies into
½
-inch rings, and cut tentacles into halves or quarters if
large.
Heat oil to 360°F in the Waring Pro
®
Professional Deep Fryer. Preheat the
oven to 500°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with a triple thickness of paper
towels.
Put the flour, parsley, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper into a jumbo
resealable food storage bag. Working with about a quarter of the calamari
at a time, drop calamari into the bag, seal and shake. Squeeze the sides
of the bag to completely coat the calamari. Take care that the pieces are
individually coated and not stuck together. Remove from the bag and
place on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. Repeat until all the
calamari has been coated evenly with flour mixture.
Gently add calamari to hot oil, about 1 to 1
½
cups at a time, trying to let
all the pieces drop in separately. Do not crowd the calamari, because
crowding will drop the temperature of the oil. The calamari will be pale
golden and just cooked in about 40 to 60 seconds. Do not overcook or
they will become tough. Lift the calamari out, using a slotted spoon or
metal skimmer, and drain in a single layer on prepared cookie sheets.
Repeat with the remaining calamari. When all the calamari have been
fried, reheat them in the 500°F oven for several minutes. Sprinkle lightly
with a little more salt, and serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping.
