Fried Calamari and Aioli

This recipe comes from Chuck Hughes, with a few tweaks...

Fried Calamari

Ingredients:

Fresh Calamari
Buttermilk
Eggs
Lemon
Tabasco
Flour
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Cayenne
Pepper
Vegetable Oil

First, cut the calamari into the rings and tentacles.  Place in a bowl and add buttermilk, a little tabasco (to taste), and a couple teaspoons of lemon juice.  Let the rings marinate for about 2 hours.

Separately, mix flour, salt, pepper, teaspoon paprika, and a teaspoon cayenne together.  Remove calamari from the buttermilk, drain.  In a bowl add about two eggs and whisk.  Dip Calamari in and then into flour mixture.

Heat Vegetable oil to 360 degrees and fry calamari in batches, about 4 minutes each batch.  Serve with Aioli below...


This is Mark Bittman's Aioli recipe...

Ingredients
Garlic Cloves, Peeled (3-8)
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

First mince the garlic.

In a bowl, add the yolk and dijon.  Beat with a whisk, slowly add the oil in drips...add more as it emulsifies more.  When complete, add the garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper.