Andalusian Fried Calamari with Squid Ink Aioli

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The Spanish coastal version of fried calamari: no egg wash, no beer batter, just a dry dredge of fine semolina and flour that fries into a thin, sandy-crisp shell. A 30-second dip in 375°F oil is all the squid needs to stay sweet and tender. Serve with lemon and flaky salt, or go full drama with a jet-black squid ink aioli.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb cleaned squid, tubes and tentacles
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 3/4 cup fine semolina flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika (pimentón dulce)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 6 cups neutral oil, or a 3:1 blend of neutral oil and mild olive oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• flaky sea salt, for finishing

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp squid ink
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Prep the squid: slice the tubes crosswise into rings about 1/3 inch (8 mm) wide — thicker rings hold their shape and stay juicy. Leave the tentacle clusters whole or halve any large ones. Pat away obvious slime with paper towels.
2. Soak the squid in the milk with 1 teaspoon fine salt for 20 minutes at room temperature (or up to 2 hours refrigerated). This seasons the squid and gives the flour just enough moisture to grip without turning into batter.
3. If making the aioli, whisk together the mayonnaise, grated garlic, lemon juice, squid ink and olive oil until uniformly glossy black. Season with salt, cover and refrigerate — it tastes better after 30 minutes.
4. Whisk the semolina, all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, paprika and baking soda in a wide bowl or a large paper bag. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan next to it.
5. Pour the oil into a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot to a depth of about 2 inches — no more than halfway up the sides. Heat over medium-high to 375°F (190°C) on a clip-on thermometer. Have a spider skimmer or slotted spoon ready.
6. Working in batches, lift a handful of squid from the milk, let it drip for a couple of seconds (do not blot it dry), then toss it in the flour mixture until every surface is chalky. Shake the pieces firmly in a coarse sieve or your hands to knock off all loose flour — excess flour is what makes calamari heavy and burns in the oil.
7. Fry one batch at a time, no more than a quarter of the squid, for 30 to 45 seconds — just until the coating sets to pale gold and the rings float and stop hissing loudly. Do not wait for deep brown; that is overcooked squid.
8. Lift the calamari out to the wire rack, season immediately with flaky salt, and let the oil climb back to 375°F before the next batch (check the thermometer each time — it usually takes 45 to 60 seconds). Dredge each batch only right before it goes in the oil.
9. Pile the calamari on a warm platter, scatter with the chopped parsley, and serve at once with lemon wedges and the squid ink aioli alongside. Fried calamari waits for no one — eat it within 5 minutes.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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