FRIED CALAMARI

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8 Ingredients or less|Appetizers|Ragin Cajun|Seafood

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Ingredients

1-pound fresh squid (about 6-8 medium to large), cleaned and cut into rings and tentacles

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups flour

½ cup cornmeal

2 teaspoons salt, plus more for sprinkling

2 tablespoons Dish off the Block Ragin’ Cajun Spice Blend

4-5 cups vegetable or canola oil for frying

Spaghetti sauce or cocktail sauce for dipping

1 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

Soak the squid in the buttermilk for 30-40 minutes while you prepare the breading and heat the oil for frying.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, and Cajun seasoning in a pie plate or shallow baking dish.

Heat the oil to 375 degrees in a Dutch oven or fryer. Prepare a baking sheet with paper towels and then place a wire cooling rack on top for draining the hot calamari. The cooling rack will allow air to flow around the fried calamari so it stays crispy.

When your oil is hot, take a handful of the soaked squid and let any excess buttermilk drip off. Then, add it to the flour mixture and toss quickly toss to coat ‘bouncing’ in your hands so that the rings and tentacles are coated with breading but do not stick together. Drop them separately into the hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes until lightly golden and crisp. Remove to the wire rack and season with salt immediately.

Continue working in small batches until you are all fried up! IMPORTANT – Make sure your oil is back up to 375 degrees before frying another batch!! If the oil is not hot enough you will have soggy calamari and no one likes that!! Serve with spaghetti or cocktail sauce for dipping and lemon wedges for squirting. DEVOUR!!