Calamari Recipe

Prepare squid

Pat the cleaned squid tubes and tentacles very dry with paper towels. If tubes are whole, slice into 1/2-inch rings. Drying is essential so coating adheres and frying is crisp.

Marinate briefly

Place the dried squid in a bowl and pour the buttermilk (or whole milk) over it. Toss to coat and let sit 10 minutes — this tenderizes and helps the flour mixture cling.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet or pot to a depth of about 1 to 1 1/2 inches (approximately 3–4 cups for a 10-inch pan). Heat over medium-high until the temperature reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small piece of bread; it should brown in ~45 seconds.

Prepare dredge

In a shallow bowl or plate, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.

Dredge and shake off excess

Working in small batches, remove squid from the milk, letting excess drip off. Toss rings and tentacles in the flour mixture to coat evenly, then shake off excess so the coating is thin and even.

Flash-fry

Carefully lower a single layer of coated squid into the hot oil — do not overcrowd. Fry 45–75 seconds, until the coating is golden and crisp. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove and transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to drain. Repeat with remaining squid, maintaining oil temperature at 350°F (175°C).

Season while hot

Immediately season the fried calamari lightly with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Cook shallot and reduce

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the minced shallot and white wine (or stock). Add a teaspoon of water if the pan looks dry. Simmer until liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon and the shallot is translucent, about 3–4 minutes.

Finish sauce

Lower heat to very low. Add the heavy cream (optional) and whisk, then gradually whisk in the cold cubed butter a few cubes at a time, allowing each addition to emulsify before adding more. Maintain the heat low — the sauce should thicken to coat the back of a spoon but not boil. Stir in the lemon juice and chopped capers, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm but do not overheat or it may separate.

Adjust texture

If the beurre blanc becomes too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water or a splash of wine to loosen. If it’s breaking (separating), remove from heat and whisk vigorously off heat until it comes back together.

Plate the hot calamari in a mound, spoon the lemon-caper beurre blanc either alongside or lightly drizzled over the calamari (reserve a little sauce so pieces remain crisp for diners who prefer). Sprinkle chopped parsley and lemon zest over the top, and serve immediately with lemon wedges.