Fried Calamari

½ pound calamari, cleaned and sliced into ½-inch rings 2 cups light cream or buttermilk 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper ½ teaspoon paprika ⅛ teaspoon cayenne

Submerge calamari in 1 cup of the cream or buttermilk in a mixing bowl. Wrap the bowl in plastic and refrigerate for an hour. When you are ready to fry, remove calamari from refrigerator. Fill the CuisinartЄ Deep Fryer with vegetable oil to the maximum line. Preheat to 375F. While the oil is heating, whisk the egg with the second cup of cream. Strain the calamari and place it in the bowl containing the egg and cream mixture. Place the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne in a separate mixing bowl. Remove a handful of the calamari from the egg and cream mixture, allowing any extra to drip back into the bowl. Place in seasoned flour. When oil is ready, lower the basket into the oil. Working in small batches, shake any excess flour from calamari. Carefully add a batch of calamari at a time to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, approximately 1 to 3 minutes. Drain on layered paper towels and season with salt. Repeat with remaining batches and serve immediately with marinara sauce or aioli.