Fried Calamari

Fried Calamari is a popular favorite and an easy dish to make for any occasion. It can be made as a small appetizer or as an entrée for a meal. Fried calamari is essentially the same amount of work whether you are feeding one or eight. As with many of these recipes, Fried Calamari is a variation of a recipe I have tried. You may have a favorite batter or breading for the squid. Do not hesitate to experiment.

• 1-4 lbs squid (the amount of squid depends on how much you want to cook – or can catch!)
• 2-3 C flour
• 3 C corn meal
• 2 C bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• ground pepper
• oil

Mix the egg and egg whites together with water. Cut the squid into strips or rings, depending on your preferences and how the squid was cleaned. It all tastes the same. I like the strips because it is much quicker to clean the squid by slicing down the mantle. It really saves time when you are cleaning 100+ squid at a time. Cut the stripes into half inch widths. Coat the squid with flour. I like to put the flour in a big zip lock style bag, put the squid in the bag, close it, and shake. Next, mix corn meal, bread crumbs and ground pepper into another zip lock bag. Put the squid in the corn meal mixture, close the bag and shake until squid strips are completed coated (lightly) with the corn meal mix. Heat your oil until it sizzles when the squid is added (test with small piece at first). Cook squid in oil until opaque in color. When cooking is completed, drain fried squid on plate with a paper towel and it will be ready to eat as soon as it cools for a few minutes.

Aioli Sauce

Aioli sauce is a must when making many calamari dishes. Aioli is also very easy to make. What I love about this recipe is the balsamic vinegar. It really adds a zesty taste. Do not worry about exact measurements. Add all ingredients "to taste" after you get comfortable with making the recipe. If you feel the sauce is to watery, just add more extra virgin olive oil or mayonnaise. Experiment with the ingredients and add some of your favorite flavors.

• 1 C mayo
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 3 T balsamic vinegar
• 4-6 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped
• ½ T of sugar

C = cup   -   T = table spoon

In a bowl add all the ingredients and mix well. Add more of the above ingredients to taste. Do not be afraid to add more balsamic vinegar. If the sauce is too runny or not as thick as you like then add more extra virgin olive oil. It helps give the sauce a creamy texture. You can also add apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, or any other spice.

Calamari Pasta

• Ingredients
• 1-1·1/2Cup fresh squid
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Anaheim pepper
• 1 Red pepper (hot) or bell pepper (mild)
• 1/2 onion (cubed)
• olive oil

Heat pan until hot (sizzles if you drop water droplets on it). Coat bottom of pan with olive oil. Saute garlic in the oil until golden brown. Add onions and peppers. When onions are transparent, add squid. After 30-90 seconds (squid will look white when cooked instead of transparent), add the cooked pasta and mix with veggies. Put in serving dish and add mezzythra or parmesan cheese.