Calamari Recipe

Prepare squid

Pat the cleaned squid tubes and tentacles dry with paper towels. If tubes are whole, slice into 1/2-inch rings. Cut larger tubes into uniform pieces so all cook evenly.

Marinate briefly

Place the squid pieces and tentacles in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Toss to coat. Let sit 15 minutes at room temperature (this tenderizes slightly and helps coating adhere).

Make dry mix

In a shallow bowl or pie plate combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt (reserve remaining for finishing), black pepper, smoked paprika, and granulated garlic. Whisk to evenly distribute.

Heat oil

Pour the vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to a depth of about 2 inches (roughly 1 L in a 3–4 qt pot). Heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small pinch of flour — it should sizzle and brown slowly.

Dredge squid

Working in batches to avoid crowding, remove squid from buttermilk letting excess drip off. Dredge pieces in the flour mixture, pressing lightly so the flour adheres. Shake off excess coating.

Fry

Carefully lower a single layer of coated squid into the hot oil with a slotted spoon or spider. Fry 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, turning if needed, until golden and crisp. Do not overcook — calamari becomes rubbery if cooked too long. Remove to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or paper towels to drain. Immediately season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Keep warm and finish remaining batches

Keep finished calamari in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) on the rack while you fry remaining batches so they stay crisp. Reheat oil to 350°F between batches if temperature drops.

Add garnish

Scatter chopped parsley over the fried calamari and squeeze fresh lemon juice over before serving. Serve with lemon wedges.

Whisk together mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Chill briefly before serving alongside the calamari.

If using frozen squid, thaw completely and pat dry. For an extra-crisp crust, double-dredge: dip once in buttermilk, dredge in flour, dip quickly again in buttermilk, then dredge in flour a second time. Keep oil temperature steady; too cool makes greasy calamari, too hot will burn the coating before squid cooks through.