Fried Calamari with Spicy Anchovy Mayonnaise
Submitted by NikiDawn
Fried calamari with spicy anchovy mayonnaise: squid rings in a graham cracker and flour coating fried crisp, served with a bold anchovy-cayenne dipping sauce. A restaurant appetizer at home.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
35 minREADY
1 hrsThis is fried calamari the way a smart chef does it. The unexpected trick is the coating: half flour, half graham cracker crumbs. The graham crumbs add a faint honeyed sweetness and a sandy crunch that standard flour-only dredges can’t match, and it browns in record time without turning greasy.
The anchovy mayo is the move that makes this dish. Four fillets blitzed into plain mayonnaise with lemon, parsley, and a kick of cayenne produces a sauce with serious umami depth that tastes expensive, even though it takes 90 seconds to blend. Make it up to two days ahead so the flavors settle.
Squid demands one of two things: flash-fried or long-braised. There is no middle ground. Anything in between turns it into rubber bands. Two minutes at 360°F (180°C) is exactly the sweet spot for calamari rings this size, any longer and you’ve wasted good squid.
Dredge in batches of thirds. Big batches drop the oil temperature too far and the coating soaks grease instead of crisping. A mesh strainer to shake off excess dredge is the other pro move, it keeps the coating light and lacy.
Serve piping hot with the chilled mayo, lemon wedges, and cold beer or a crisp white wine.
Chef Tips
- Pat squid bone dry before dredging; wet squid = soggy coating.
- Keep oil at 360°F (180°C); drop in batches to maintain temperature.
- Use kosher salt the second the calamari leaves the oil; hot oil grabs it best.
- Work fast; the window between crisp and chewy is very small.
Variations
- Swap graham crumbs for panko for a more traditional Italian feel.
- Add a pinch of smoked paprika to the flour for a Spanish twist.
- Serve with marinara on the side alongside the anchovy mayo.
Ingredients
Directions
In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, anchovies, lemon juice, parsley an d cayenne.
Blend until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and refrigerate, co vered tightly, for up to 2 days, until ready to serve.
Cut the squid into ⅓ inch rings.
If the tentacles are large, halve or quarter them lengthwise.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
In a heavy bottomed straight sided 3 quart saucepan, about 8 inches in diameter, heat the oil to 360 degrees.
In a shallow bowl, combine the flour and graham cracker crumbs.
Toss ⅓ of the squid in the flour mixture to coat evenly.
Shake the squid in a mesh strainer to shed extra coating.
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, gently lower each batch of calamari into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Sprinkle with salt. The cooked squid can be ke pt warm in a low oven while you continue.
Check your oil temperature and repeat with remaining alamari.
Serve hot with chilled anchovy mayonnaise.
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