Salt and pepper calamari is a fish and chip shop classic. Almost everyone has fond memories of beach holidays, lolling around on the sand and eating piping hot fish, chips and salt and pepper calamari.
But don’t wait for a trip to the beach to enjoy it, make your own using this simple recipe. It only takes around 25 minutes and you’ll have tasty, crispy, tender salt and pepper calamari fresh from your own kitchen.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 150°C.
Lightly dust calamari in flour, shaking off excess. Combine beaten egg and milk, then dip calamari to coat.
Combine breadcrumbs, sea salt, lemon pepper and black pepper in a shallow bowl, then use to coat calamari, pressing on firmly. Transfer to a plate and chill for 20 minutes.
Half fill a large saucepan or deep-fryer with oil. Heat on medium until a piece of bread sizzles as soon as it is added.
Drop calamari into oil, in batches, deep-frying for 2-3 minutes each, until golden and cooked. Drain on paper towel. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining calamari.
Make aioli by combining mayonnaise and garlic in a small bowl. Serve with calamari.
For a milder, sweeter aioli, bake 3 garlic cloves at 180°C for 15-20 minutes. Cut off tops and squeeze flesh into mayonnaise.
Test Kitchen tip
What is salt and pepper calamari made of?
Salt and pepper calamari seasoning is typically made with salt, pepper and a batter or crumb that you coat the squid in. You can also add lemon to the seasoning or just squeeze it over the top of the calamari when it’s ready to serve.
Is squid the same as calamari?
Squid is also known as calamari. A type of shellfish without an external shell but with a long, bony “quill” inside. Their sac-like body can be cut into rings or strips or left whole for stuffing.
Small squid are tender and are used for the crumbed and quickly deep-fried calamari rings that children and many others love. Squid can also be barbecued and served with a dipping sauce, stuffed and baked, stir-fried or used cold in salads.
How to cook salt and pepper calamari so it’s tender?
The secret to cooking tender calamari is in the preparation. To make the most of your calamari rings, we recommend soaking your squid in salted milk for half an hour. The milk proteins will help to tenderise the rings while also neutralising that fishy odour.
It’s also important not to overcook the squid, as this will make it tough to eat.
“Shellfish and cephalopods (octopus and squid) will toughen if overcooked so keep cooking time short,” the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation’s Fishfiles website says.
For tender, beautifully cooked salt and pepper calamari, you only need 2-3 minutes in the oil per batch of squid with this recipe.
How to clean whole squid
Instead of buying calamari rings, you can buy whole squid and prepare it yourself. Pull the head and entrails from squid body. Remove and discard the clear “quill” inside, running the length of the body or hood. Cut the tentacles from the head, just below the eyes then remove the hard black beak in the centre. Pull away the membrane from the hood and flaps; wash the hood, tentacles and flaps well.
To assist with gripping the squid you can dip your fingers into a little salt. Cut the squid hoods into rings for this salt and pepper calamari recipe. To prepare it for salt and pepper squid, score the inside in a criss-cross pattern with a sharp knife so that they curl during cooking.
