Fried Calamari

So there are two schools of thought when cooking squid.  You either want to cook it for just a moment or long enough so that it has plenty of time to return to "tender".  You want to shoot for 60 seconds, *or* 30 minutes.... and anything in between is ill advised unless you're wanting a jaw workout.  When making fried calamari you're after that 60 second (or less) sweet spot where the squid and coating is just cooked and not overcooked.  It can take a little practice, but it's fairly simple so give it a shot!   serves 2-4 for appetizers ½ pound calamari ½ cup flour or batter mix Salt, pepper, seasonings 1" deep vegetable oil in a pan   Put your pan on the stove and make a mental note that a grease fire is put out with baking soda, NOT water.  (Safety first!)  Add enough vegetable oil so that you have it about an inch deep, and turn on your burner medium highish (you're shooting for 350 degrees or so).  While your oil is heating, slice the squid tubes into rings and tip the flour onto a plate.  Sprinkle salt, pepper and any other seasoning you like (we use a smoked paprika/cumin/cayenne/garlic powder mix most often) on your flour and stir to combine.  With clean fingers, toss your squid in the seasoned flour to coat.  In small batches, gently add your squid to the oil and cook until golden, about 45- 60 seconds depending on how many you put in at once and how hot your oil is.  With a slotted spoon, rescue your now perky squid from the oil and tip onto a paper towel covered plate to drain.  Serve with lemon and aioli sauce for dipping!           Easy Aioli 2 big spoonfuls of mayo The juice of half a lemon + the zest from the whole thing 2 T finely chopped parsley Stir it all together!