Spanish Fried Calamari
Calamares a la Romana
There is nothing more memorable than the sweet taste of fresh caught Spanish fried calamari on a holiday beach. Some Spanish recipes for “a la Romana” call for the calamari to be dipped in egg as well as flour. We like this approach which is simpler and delivers a fantastic result. A young red from Catalonia makes a great match for this sweet seafood dish, or if you prefer a white, a Rueda from Valladolid or Galicia.
4 fresh calamari
Flour for dredging
1 ½ cup / 400 ml olive oil
Wash the calamari in lots of cold water.
To prepare the calamari, hold the body, grasp the legs and separate.
Remove head from the legs. Near the head you will see the ink sac. This ink can be used to make Squid Ink Black Rice.
Cut the body into rings with a sharp knife or scissors. Leave the legs whole.
In a medium frying pan, heat the oil until a piece of day old bread turns golden.
Dredge the rings in flour and drop in the hot oil being careful to leave more than an inch between each piece.
Fry until rings are golden and repeat with the legs.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve piping hot with a brisk white wine.