Fried Calamari with Aioli

Fried calamari from a restaurant is really hit or miss for me. It's either great, or it's yucky. It's not that easy to overcook calamari in the deep fryer so I just don't understand how some restaurants can get it so rubbery. I've had some excellent calamari at Carrabba's, but the Rain Forest Cafe was pretty decent also. Remember, I don't live near the ocean. :)

What you'll need to make it at home:

1 package calamari. I bought the Private Selection Brand (Kroger) and they come whole with tentacles separated. About a pound?

Oil for deep frying. If you have a deep fryer, even better. If not, you'll need about 3 cups vegetable oil.

1/2 cup or so of flour

salt

dried oregano, parsley

seasoned salt to taste

pepper

garlic and onion powder

any other seasoning that you'd like to add to the batter to make it more tasty :)

Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a big bowl or baking dish to make it easy to dredge several pieces at a time. Set aside.

Take the squid to the sink and thoroughly rinse each one and cut into rings.

I used kitchen scissors, it is SO much easier. Keep the tentacles if you're going to eat them. Some do, some don't. My boys like to pretend they're eating spiders! haha.

Don't worry if the rings stay very flat after you cut them. They will open up when you fry them.
Now that you've rinsed them, strain them to get off most of the liquid. Prepare your deep fryer to 360 degrees or add your 3 cups of oil to a deep pot and heat until a drop of water sizzles.
Dredge your squid in the flour mixture making sure that each piece has a nice thin coat and is thoroughly coated.
Add to oil a few at a time, I did 10-15 pieces at a time, and deep fry for about 3 minutes.
They float so you'll have to carefully try to flip them over about halfway through that time.
Use a slotted metal spoon to remove and set on a dish layered with two or three paper towels to catch the excess oil. Continue until all are cooked.

For the Aioli Sauce(which is basically a flavored mayo):

3/4 cup mayonnaise

tsp garlic (diced)

bout 1 tsp or more lemon juice

fresh parsley

salt

Mix all ingredients together. Voila!

Serve with aioli, marinara, and lemon wedges for a delicious appetizer.