Squid

Squid, calamari octopus, are all delicious! At least if you know how to prepare them. Many one you might have eaten one of these seafood's before, whether they were deep fried and served with a garlic sauce or stuffed with peppers as part of a tapas. The key to eating a tender piece of squid is to NOT, I repeat absolutely not overcook them. They will become chewy and rubbery, chances are that if you have had such an encounter that you are very likely to have a big mistrust when I tell you they can be incredibly tender and melt if your mouth delicious. Squid is a seafood that can be enjoyed in very many ways and is prepared differently all around the world. If you are still unknown to its versatility then I have summed up some basic information below: The basic anatomy of a squid is simple. The body (mantle) can be stuffed whole, cut into flat pieces or sliced into rings. The arms, tentacles and ink are edible; the only parts of the squid that are not eaten are its beak and gladius (pen). Here are some recipes and uses to squid you might not yet know:
- In Spain and Italy, squid is eaten in dishes such as paella, risotto, soups and pasta.
- In Portugal lulas are commonly eaten grilled whole, in kebabs of squid rings with bell peppers and onion or stewed. Also stuffed with minced meat and stewed or battered.
- In Italy, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Egypt, Cyprus and Turkey, squid rings and arms are coated in batter and fried in oil or simmered slowly, with vegetables.
- In the Philippines, squid is cooked in adobo sauce. Battered squid is served with alioli, mayonnaise or chilli vinegar or the squid is grilled on charcoal, brushed with a soy sauce-based marinade, and stuffed with tomato and onions.
- In Korea, they have very many ways to prepare squid. It is sometimes even served fresh and killed quickly. Unlike octopus, squid tentacles do not usually continue to move when reaching the table. The squid is served with Korean mustard, soy sauce, chili sauce, or sesame sauce. It is salted and wrapped in lettuce or pillard leaves. Squid is also marinated in hot pepper sauce and cooked on a pan. They are also served by food stands as a snack food, battered and deep fried or grilled using hot skillets. They are also cut up into small pieces to be added to pancakes or seafood soups. Dried squid may also accompany alcoholic beverages such as anju. Dried squid is served with peanuts. Squid is roasted and served with hot pepper paste or mayonnaise as a dip. Steamed squid and boiled squid are delicacies..
- In Slovenia squid are eaten grilled and stuffed with veggies and cheese.
- In Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisine, squid is used in stir-fries, rice, and noodle dishes. It may be heavily spiced.
- In China, Thailand, Japan and Taiwan, squid is grilled whole and sold in food stalls.
- Pre-packaged dried shredded squid or cuttlefish are snack items in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, China, Russia, often shredded to reduce chewiness.
- In Russia, a lightly boiled julienned squid with onion rings, garnished with mayonnaise, makes a salad. Another dish is a squid stuffed with rice and vegetables and then roasted.
- Squid is a sushi, sashimi and tempura item.
Personally I prefer them sliced up into little rings and grilled with a bit of seaweed, Szechuan pepper, a squeeze of lime juice and a bunch is fresh cilantro or stuffed with a spinach filling and simmered in a tomato sauce in the oven. I hope this special has made you eager to try it, squid is reasonably cheap when you buy it from a fresh fish stand.