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Crispy on the outside and gorgeously tender inside, squid recipes don't get much more delicious than calamari. Traditionally enjoyed as street food in the Mediterranean, calamari tastes heavenly paired with zesty garlic aioli. Recreate this holiday snack at home with our easy-to-follow step-by-step guide.
Slice 500g of cleaned squid into 1cm thick rings. Leave the tentacles whole or, if they are large, cut them in half. Place the squid into a bowl and cover with 400ml whole milk. Leave them for at least 30 minutes to tenderise, or ideally up to 8 hours. The longer you leave the squid, the more tender it will be.
Meanwhile, make a very quick aioli by grating 1 small garlic clove into 200g good quality mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Mix well and set aside until needed.
Place 70g cornflour and 70g plain flour into a shallow bowl. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Add the zest of a lemon, 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley and ½ tsp smoked paprika to the bowl. Mix well and set aside. Take small handfuls of the squid and allow any excess liquid to drain away. Toss well into the flour mix and shake off any excess. Set to one side on a plate, ready for cooking.
Heat 2.5cm vegetable oil in a deep-sided sauté pan. Check the temperature by dropping a small pinch of flour into the oil. If the oil sizzles, it is ready. Once it is hot enough, gently place half the squid into the oil. Allow the calamari to cook for around 2-3 minutes, turning once. When they are brown, add a handful of sage leaves to the pan, cook for 1 minute and then remove the squid and sage with a slotted spoon. Drain on absorbent paper. Repeat with the remaining squid.
Sprinkle with salt and serve with lemon wedges and the garlic aioli.
We've made a handy shopping list so you can get everything you need to make perfect calamari at home. Don't forget to screenshot before you go shopping!
For the squid 500g cleaned squid 400ml whole milk 70g cornflour 70g plain flour 2 lemons, 1 zested and 1 cut into wedges 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley 1/2 tsp smoked paprika vegetable oil, for frying handful of sage leaves
Serves 4
of the reference intake Carbohydrate 38.6g Protein 25g Fibre 1g
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