Rabas Cántabras

Rabas are Cantabrian, especially Santander's Sunday plate: squid cut into long strips, not rings, tossed in flour and fried until the edges go crisp and the inside stays tender. This is not calamares a la romana wearing another name. The cut matters, the flour matters, and the oil matters most.

The method that decides it is dryness before the flour and heat once the squid goes in. Wet squid makes paste. Cool oil makes rubber. Dry the strips well, flour them just before frying, shake off more than you think, and give them enough room in oil hot enough to seal the outside quickly. That is the whole trick.

If you are far from Cantabria, use cleaned squid tubes and tentacles from a fishmonger, or good frozen squid thawed overnight in the refrigerator. Frozen can be kinder than tired fresh squid, because it tenderizes a little as it freezes. Just dry it properly. No hace falta haber pisado España. With good squid, hot oil, and a lemon wedge, siempre sale, si lo sigues.