Fried Parsley Calamari, and Spicy Mayonnaise

Spicey Mayo

Peel and crush some garlic and add salt, adding this to the mayo. Add 2 teaspoons of harissa sauce (if you can’t find harissa sauce you can easily make your own version at home) or a chilli/spicy sauce of your own choice (try find one that is sweet), followed by the zest and juice from ½ a lemon, then mix well, taste and add a little more lemon juice, if needed. Transfer to a bowl, and ripple the remaining spicy sauce. You can go an extra step by adding rose water, but this is not necessary. Set aside.

Frying Calamari

Scrunch the oregano, discarding the stalks, and finely chop. Add the fennel and a teaspoon each of salt and white pepper. Blitz to a fine powder, then place into a large bowl with the flour and stir to combine. Rinse the parsley sprigs under cold running water, shake off any excess water, then pick the leaves into the flour. 

Wash and pat dry the squid, then slice and open out the tubes like a book, or slice into rings if that’s how you prefer them to be served. Score a criss-cross pattern onto the surface (if you have opened them), then add to the flavoured flour you made in the previous step, along with the tentacles and toss well to coat.

Place a large, deep saucepan over a medium-high heat. Fill three-quarters full with vegetable oil and allow to heat up. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a piece of bread into the pan – if the bread floats to the surface, sizzles and turns golden, it’s about right. Shake off any excess flour from the squid, then use a slotted spoon to carefully lower into the hot oil (you’ll need to do this in batches). Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden, crisp and cooked through. Transfer to a double layer of kitchen paper to drain, then repeat with the remaining squid.

Sprinkle the crispy parsley, then serve with extra lemon wedges for squeezing over and harissa mayo for dunking.