Quick Calamari with Garlic Mayonnaise

This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson. It was a bit of a challenge finding squid, but I finally found it fresh at Balducci's and frozen at Whole Foods.

Ingredients

For the Calamari
1 cup peanut oil or as needed depending on the size of pan
1 lb calamari
1/4 cup corn meal
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

For the Garlic Mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably Hellman's Real
generous squeeze fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Cut the calamari into 1/2 inch rings. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat.

3. Put the corn meal, cornstarch and Old Bay into a plastic freezer bag. Add the calamari rings and tentacles to the bag, then toss to coat.

4. When the oil is hot enough, which is when it sizzles up fiercly when you drop in a cube of bread, fry the calamari in batches (do not crowd the pan) until golden brown and crunchy. A couple of minutes per batch is all you should need. (Be careful as the oil will splatter!)

5. Lift the calamari out of the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

6. Make the garlic mayonnaise by combining garlic, mayonnaise and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir to mix well and serve alongside calamari.