Calamari 1

Heat a large frying pan over a high flame. Add 3 tbsp good oil and very, very quickly fry half the squid for no more than 2 minutes, tossing once or twice. Tip out on to a serving dish, wipe out the pan with kitchen roll and repeat.

Overcooked squid goes rubbery, so the vital element here is speed. The wet squid must splutter and protest angrily as it hits the oil, indeed you may get a brief flare up. As soon as the squid begins to exude liquid it is almost too cooked. Tip out on to a serving dish and spread out to cool more quickly.