In our normal daily diet, we rarely consume fish and seafood. And only a festive feast is complete without seafood delicacies. But among the wide variety of expensive seafood, we often overlook affordable and healthy squid. This perfectly balanced sea creature is very popular in Mediterranean, Italian and Asian cuisine. In Greece it is stuffed with rice or baked on the grill, in Italy they prepare pasta, in Asian countries it is added to spicy soups and main courses. For cooking, not only the carcass is used, but also the tentacles.

But in order to choose and prepare squid dishes correctly, you need to know a few simple tricks.

Product selection rules

Like any other seafood, squid comes to our kitchen only in frozen form. Only presentable restaurants can boast of fresh chilled seafood, to which lightning-fast delivery is carried out from the ocean coast on a high-speed airliner. The rest have to make do with frozen, canned or dried foods. And yet this does not mean that there is a poor selection of squid even in local supermarkets. Today, many sellers can offer the following types squid:

• whole carcasses;
• carcasses cut into rings - they are made from the waste of large squid, which have also been thawed several times;
• fillet – this is the form in which giant squid are sold; this is the type that industrial production purchases for making various snacks with dried squid.

Squid meat is rich in many vitamins, macroelements and microelements. 100 grams of product contains the daily requirement of iodine. In addition, meat is rich in protein, does not contain fat and cholesterol and has few calories - only 100 kcal per 100 grams of product, which makes it indispensable in the diet of athletes and people who adhere to proper nutrition. Nutritionists also recommend including squid meat in the diet of diabetics, since regular consumption of seafood helps maintain sugar levels. Squid meat is also rich in the following elements:

• vitamins A and E help prevent skin diseases, strengthen bones, nails and teeth, and also help eliminate heavy metal salts;
• B vitamins have a positive effect on the nervous system, reduce the risk of developing heart disease, regulate blood pressure and help strengthen the heart muscle;
• vitamin C is involved in all biological processes;
• choline supports the proper functioning of the liver, brain cells and nervous system;
• unsaturated fatty acid contribute to the normalization of the digestive system and liver function;
• trace elements: phosphorus, potassium, copper, sodium, iron, calcium, zinc, selenium help cope with nervous overload and also help increase endurance;
• iodine supports the functioning of the thyroid gland;
• amino acids help strengthen the immune system;
• taurine helps reduce cholesterol in the body.

The quality and taste of the dish are directly related to the correctly selected product. As professional chefs and gourmets assure, the meat of large squids is inferior in taste to small specimens. Therefore, it is better not to purchase such meat for cooking at home. And the ideal option is unpeeled frozen carcasses that have been thawed no more than once and then re-frozen.

It is unpeeled squid that has the best taste. And there is one simple explanation for this. When caught, all mollusks are immediately frozen. Some of them are sent for industrial cleaning, where the carcasses will be previously thawed, cleaned of tentacles and skin, and then re-frozen. Thus, seemingly similar squid carcasses will have completely different taste qualities. In addition, the meat is covered with a large layer of frozen water - a glaze, for which you have to overpay for nothing. In addition, from repeated cooling, the meat acquires an unpleasant fishy smell and bitter taste, which cannot be reduced by other ingredients or spices.

A good product should have no more than 8% glaze, and fresh frozen carcasses will easily separate from each other in the package. And it’s better to buy small carcasses in the store. In addition, you can use not only squid meat, but also tentacles for food: they can be fried and served as an appetizer or in addition to the main dish. A high-quality product has a brick-colored film and a dense carcass. But since it will not be possible to determine the quality of a frozen carcass, it is necessary to focus specifically on the color of the film. The skin can tell a lot about both the quality and freshness of the squid. It should not have an even and monochromatic color. If the skin has a yellow or gray tint, it means the squid is spoiled, and the meat should have a white or creamy tint.

Important! You can recognize a low-quality product even during the cooking period - if, during boiling, abundant foam appears in the water, and the squid itself falls apart, it means that you have a product that has been defrosted and frozen several times. You should immediately refuse to cook such meat so as not to harm your body.

Carcass preparation

Preparing a delicious dish with squid is not that difficult. It is only important to follow a few simple rules and follow the advice of professionals. And the main thing is the correct and slow defrosting of the product. Perhaps these are the key points when preparing squid. To prevent the squid from turning out rubbery, remove the package of frozen seafood from the freezer to the refrigerator compartment. After the squids have completely thawed, they must be kept at room temperature. Shock rapid defrosting will ruin the carcass, and it will no longer be possible to prepare a tasty dish from such meat. This must be taken into account long before cooking begins.

The next step is cleaning the carcass. Of course, in almost any large supermarket you can choose both peeled and unpeeled squid. But the culinary guru advises you to choose frozen squids in the skin and clean the carcasses yourself after defrosting. The squid may have a thin film that must be carefully removed so as not to damage the carcass. If you remove the skin by hand, this process will seem too tedious and will take a lot of time. The film is partially removed, torn into pieces, and uncleaned areas with skin residues remain on the carcass.

Removing the film is quite easy. To do this, you need to lower the squid carcass into a bowl of hot water, and then immediately replace it with cold water. In a matter of seconds, the protein will curl, the film will separate from the meat on its own and will not cause problems.

But at the same time, it is necessary to understand that after heat treatment the process of cooking the squid has already started, so you cannot put the meat aside for several hours. Any dish must be cooked immediately after cleaning.

How to cook?

In some recipes, the authors say that it is not necessary to defrost the squid before cooking and you can immediately put it from the freezer into boiling water, while increasing the cooking time. But chefs do not share this point of view, since in this case the dish will lose its taste. And for a long time heat treatment the seafood delicacy will taste tough and rubbery. When preparing squid dishes, you must follow a few simple rules.

• Before starting cooking, chefs recommend first boiling the squid in boiling salted water. To keep the meat soft and tender, you need to cook it very quickly. Immerse the carcass in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. The second way to cook squid is to place the carcass in boiling salted water, and then remove the pan from the heat. And gradually, while the water cools, the meat cooks slowly and remains soft and non-rubbery. Which cooking method to choose is up to everyone to decide for themselves. You can try both options and compare the quality of the meat.
• You should not cook a large number of carcasses at one time. Chefs advise putting 2-3 carcasses at a time into a pan of boiling water. And every 3 minutes you need to take out the finished squid with a slotted spoon and lower a new batch into the water. There is no need to drain or change the water in the pan.
• Another cooking method involves frying the squid. There is no need to pre-boil the carcasses. But you should slowly defrost the meat in advance and remove excess liquid with paper napkins. After this, the carcass is ready for subsequent stages of cooking.

• You can prepare many dishes with squid: appetizers, salads, soups, pasta, dumplings, pies and much more. But if during cooking the squid carcasses still become tough, do not despair, in fact, everything is fixable and the dish can be corrected. The finished boiled carcass can be cut into rings and stewed in cream sauce or sour cream. This method will also help if the squid is over-salted.

Stewed squid are no longer suitable for salad, but can become a separate independent dish. And if you then finely chop the meat, it will become an excellent dressing for tartlets.

It is worth paying attention to several simple and proven recipes.

Salad with squid

There are many recipes for preparing salads and cold appetizers with squid. And this is not surprising, since squid goes well with many foods. For cooking light salad you will need the following ingredients:

• squid – 200 g;
• eggs – 3 pcs.;
• green sour apple;
• cheese – 50 g;
• low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt – 200 g;
• bulb;
• salt and pepper to taste.

First you need to boil the squid in water for 3-4 minutes. Then the meat is cut into small strips, and eggs and apples are also chopped. In this recipe, it is necessary to use sour apples, since the sweetness of the fruit will overwhelm the taste of the squid. The onion must be cut into small cubes. Salad dressing light sour cream or unflavored yogurt. Before serving, sprinkle the salad with grated cheese. Depending on your taste preferences, you can replace sour cream with homemade mayonnaise, and the salad will remain just as light and zesty.

Tomato soup with seafood

Classic soup Seafood is prepared very quickly. For preparation you will need the following ingredients:

• chilled squid;
• vegetable or fish broth;
• tomatoes;
• shallot;
• garlic;
• thyme;
• butter;
• salt, pepper, sugar.

First, prepare the soup dressing by chopping the shallots, garlic and thyme and frying them in a frying pan with a little olive oil, then adding the mixture to the pan with the fish or vegetable broth. When the broth boils, lower the squid cut into rings. Chop or puree the tomatoes and add to the pan. Let it boil and after 2 minutes add salt, pepper and spices. Remove the pan from the heat and let the soup simmer for a few minutes with the lid closed. Light and tasty tomato soup ready, can be served with fresh basil or other herbs.

Wok noodles with squid

Squid, like other seafood, goes well with pasta and rice. This wonderful mix can be varied with soy or cream sauce.

• rice noodles – 400 g;
• squid rings – 200 g;
• seafood mix – 200 g;
• onion;
• carrot;
• bell pepper;
• ginger root;
• garlic;
• green onions, spinach leaves and other greens to taste;
• soy sauce;
• oyster sauce;
• sesame seeds.

To prepare wok noodles, you need special utensils - a deep frying pan. But first you need to prepare the rice paste - this will take at least 2 hours. First, soak the noodles in a bowl of hot water and leave in this position for several hours. After this, prepare the seafood; when it is completely thawed, you can start frying it in oil with a small amount of soy sauce. After a few minutes, add coarsely chopped onions to the pan. Chop the vegetables into strips and add them to the frying pan.

Add oyster sauce, salt, pepper and chopped garlic to taste. At the last moment, add rice noodles to the seafood and vegetables. When serving, the dish can be garnished with coarsely chopped green onions, fresh herbs and sesame seeds.

Dumplings with squid

No matter how strange this recipe may seem, you should not be skeptical about it. The combination of squid and pork may seem at least awkward to many, because it is absolutely different ingredients from different cuisines of the world. Nevertheless, the recipe for dumplings with squid and pork is a great success among real gourmets and gurus restaurant business.

• pork – 200 g;
• squid – 4 carcasses;
• chicken eggs – 2 pcs.;
• flour – 150 g;
• butter;
• water;
• fresh cilantro;
• garlic;
• ginger root;
• hot chili pepper;
• soy sauce;
• vegetable and sesame oil;
• salt.

From lean pork and squid, mince the minced meat and then add chopped onion, pepper and garlic. After this, add soy sauce and sesame oil. Ginger juice will add a special piquancy to the dish; to do this, finely grate the ginger root and add the resulting juice to the minced meat. And also add chopped fresh cilantro. To prepare dumpling dough you will need eggs, flour, water and butter.

Knead the dough vigorously, gradually adding flour. Thinly roll out the dough into small circles and form dumplings. Place the dumplings in salted boiling water. After boiling, some of the dumplings can be fried in sesame oil.

When serving, sprinkle the fried dumplings with sesame seeds, and garnish the boiled dumplings with fresh cilantro and sprinkle with sesame oil.

Grilled squid

Squid meat can be cooked either over charcoal or on a regular grill pan. To prepare you will need the following ingredients:

• prepared squid carcasses;
• olive oil;
• thyme, rosemary, coriander, salt and pepper.

Before placing the carcasses on the grill, you need to marinate the meat. Add fresh herbs and spices to olive oil, and brush each carcass with the resulting marinade. Place the meat in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. When the meat is saturated with aromas, place the squid on a hot grill for 1-2 minutes and fry on both sides until a slight crust forms. You can serve grilled squid with fresh vegetables, asparagus or baked lemon.

Stuffed squid

Large and medium-sized carcasses are great for stuffing. The dish is easy and quick to prepare, and due to its nutritional value, it can replace a full dinner with chicken or red meat. To prepare you will need the following ingredients:

• 6 medium-sized squid carcasses;
• champignons, oyster mushrooms or other mushrooms;
• onion;
• soy sauce;
• salt pepper.

When cleaning squid, it is important not to damage the integrity of the carcass. Let the meat cook for a few minutes, and at this time prepare the filling. To do this, you will need to mix fried onions, mushrooms and boiled rice in a frying pan, season with spices and soy sauce. After the filling is ready, stuff the squid, generously sprinkle grated cheese on top, and secure the carcasses with toothpicks to be secure. Preheat the oven to +150 degrees and bake the squid for 20 minutes. As soon as it appears crispy cheese crust, the dish is ready.

You can serve baked stuffed squid with fresh or grilled vegetables.

Squid rings in batter

Squid is often served as an appetizer. And there are many recipes for making flavorful and crispy squid rings in batter. The most popular cooking recipe is that squid rings with a delicious breading are fried in oil. Despite the fact that the appetizer turns out to be very tasty and appetizing, due to the large amount of oil, fat and flour coating, the squid becomes too high in calories. There are two recipes to choose from of this dish, from which you can choose the most suitable option. It is worth considering that even an athlete who strictly monitors nutrition can afford the second snack option.

To prepare you will need the following ingredients:

• squid rings – 500 g;
• chicken eggs – 2 pcs.;
• breadcrumbs– 50 g;
• flour – 50 g;
• sour cream – 100 g;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• hard cheese – 50 g;
• vegetable oil– 150 ml;
• salt and ground pepper.

First you need to boil the squid rings in salted water, just 3 minutes is enough. Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients except flour and breadcrumbs in a deep bowl. Mix thoroughly until the mixture has the consistency of liquid sour cream and there are no lumps. Drain the water from the squid and dry the meat with a dry cloth. Place flour and breadcrumbs in separate cups. Dip the squid rings in batter, and then in flour and breadcrumbs and fry in a heated frying pan or deep cauldron with oil. If you have a deep fryer, it's best to use it. Cook until golden brown, 5 minutes.

In the second recipe, to reduce calories and reduce the amount of saturated fat, it is recommended to replace wheat flour oatmeal, bread crumbs - bran, sour cream - yogurt, and instead of frying in oil, you should bake squid rings in the oven on parchment paper.

To learn how to easily cook squid, watch the following video.

Ingredients

• 300 g squid;
• 2–3 cloves of garlic;
• 60–70 g walnuts or other nuts;
• 1–2 sprigs of dill;
• 20–30 g butter;
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil;
• salt - to taste;
• black pepper - to taste.

Preparation

Place the squid in boiling water for a couple of seconds, peel and rinse. Then cut into pieces. Chop the garlic and nuts. Chop the greens.

Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the squid for 2-3 minutes. Place on a plate and cool.

In another frying pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Fry the garlic and nuts for 15–20 seconds. Salt, pepper and mix with herbs. Pour the nutmeg over the squid garlic sauce and serve.

Ingredients

• 1 kg squid;
• 2 onions;
• 3–5 cloves of garlic;
• 1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil;
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce;
• salt - to taste;
• black pepper - to taste;
• 2 teaspoons sugar.

Preparation

Place the squid in boiling water for 40–50 seconds, peel and rinse. Cut the carcasses into rings, the onion into half rings. Chop the garlic.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the onion for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Add the squid and cook for another minute. Then increase the heat, add soy sauce, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir and fry for a couple more minutes. Sprinkle with garlic.

3. Fried squid with sour cream and leeks

Ingredients

• 4 squid;
• 1 leek (white part only);
• 2–3 cloves of garlic;
• 50 g butter;
• salt - to taste;
• black pepper - to taste;
• any spices - to taste;
• 150–200 g sour cream;
• 1 tablespoon flour;
• 2-3 sprigs of parsley.

Preparation

Clean and rinse the squid. Cut into rings along with the leek. Chop the garlic or pass through a press.

Heat butter and vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the leek and garlic for 4-5 minutes. Salt, pepper and sprinkle with any spices. Add the squid and cook for a couple more minutes. Season with sour cream, and after boiling again, add flour and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, covered.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Ingredients

• 700–800 g squid;
• 300 g tomatoes in their own juice;
• 1 onion;
• 1 chili pepper - optional;
• 2–3 cloves of garlic;
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil;
• salt - to taste;
• black pepper - to taste;
• 1 pinch of thyme;
• 1 pinch of basil;
• 1 pinch of oregano.

Preparation

Rinse the squid with boiling water, peel and rinse, then cut into rings. Chop tomatoes, onions, chili and garlic.

Heat half the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the squid for about 3 minutes, add salt and pepper and place on a plate.

Heat the remaining oil over medium heat and sauté the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and hot pepper and cook for a couple more minutes. Add salt, thyme, basil and oregano. Then simmer with the tomatoes and their juice for about 5 minutes. Pour in the squid and leave on the fire for another 3-4 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 carrots;
• 2–3 onions;
• 4 squid;
• 250 g sour cream;
• salt - to taste;
• black pepper - to taste.

Preparation

Grate the carrots coarse grater. Cut the onion into small pieces. Pour boiling water over the squid, peel and cut into strips.

Heat half the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the vegetables for 5-7 minutes.

In another pan with the remaining oil, fry the squid over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add carrots and onions, and after 2-3 minutes add sour cream, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes.

Ingredients

• 6 squids;
• 5 eggs;
• 2–3 tablespoons flour;
• ½ teaspoon salt;
• 70 ml light beer;
• 4–5 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Preparation

Clean the squid, rinse and cut into rings.

Beat eggs with flour and salt, pour in beer and stir. The batter should not be too liquid; if necessary, add a little more flour.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Dip the squid in the batter and fry for 30-40 seconds on each side.

Ingredients

• 1 squid;
• 50–70 g flour;
• 1–2 eggs;
• 1 pinch of salt;
• 3–4 tablespoons of vegetable oil;
• 100 g breadcrumbs.

Preparation

Peel the squid, rinse, cut into rings and immediately roll in flour while they are still wet. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. First dip the squid in the egg, then roll in breadcrumbs. Fry the rings for about 20 seconds on each side. Then place on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Ingredients

• 3 squid;
• 1 lemon;
• 1 chili pepper;
• 2–3 cloves of garlic;
• 4 tablespoons olive oil;
• 1 pinch of salt;
• 1 sprig of parsley.

Preparation

Boil the squid for about a minute. Peel, rinse and cut into rings.

Squeeze the juice out of the lemon. Grind the chili, pass the garlic through a press. Mix everything with oil and salt. Pour the sauce over the squid, cover with film and leave in the refrigerator for 10–12 hours. lenuskaapple.yandex.ru / Depositphotos

Ingredients

• 100–150 g squid;
• 5 tablespoons of olive oil;
• salt - to taste;
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper;
• 1 tablespoon paprika;
• 1 tablespoon oregano;
• 1 tablespoon of cloves;
• 1–2 bay leaves;
• 5 tablespoons of soy sauce;
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar;
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds.

Preparation

Boil the squid for about a minute, peel, rinse and cut into rings.

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix with salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, cloves and bay leaf. Remove from heat and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes. Then combine with soy sauce and vinegar.

Pour the marinade over the squid and leave in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Ingredients

• 1–2 squid;
• 1 onion;
• 150 g champignons;
• 100 g hard cheese;
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil;
• 20–30 g butter;
• 1 tablespoon flour;
• 200 ml milk;
• salt - to taste;
• black pepper - to taste.

Preparation

Pour boiling water over the squid, rinse and clean. Cut the carcasses into rings, onions into half rings, and mushrooms into medium pieces. Grate the cheese on a medium or fine grater.

Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the onions and champignons for 5-7 minutes.

In another frying pan, melt the butter. Fry the flour for about a minute and a half, then pour in the milk little by little and stir constantly. After a few minutes, when the sauce thickens a little, add salt and pepper.

Place squid with mushrooms and onions in a baking dish. Pour over the sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in the oven at 180°C for about 10–15 minutes.

If you consider yourself one of the big fans of seafood, then you are probably very familiar with many delicious squid dishes, which can be prepared very quickly and easily. But many novice housewives who want to cook squid, when faced with them, are often disappointed in their culinary properties. And the point here is not so much in the squids themselves, but in the lack of experience in preparing these tender, but capricious representatives of the sea kingdom. Well-cooked squids always turn out very soft, their taste is delicate and delicate, and their aroma is light and unobtrusive. But as soon as you make a mistake, instead of tender, tasty and healthy dish you will get something hard, rubbery, frightening with its strange smell. Such a failure can not only upset a novice cook, but also force him to completely exclude squid from his daily menu. In order to help you avoid such mistakes, today we want to invite you to figure out with us how to cook squid tasty and simple.

Historically, the appearance of squid dishes is associated with Mediterranean countries. It is reliably known that already in Ancient Greece, squid was caught and used as food, however, it was more likely food for the poor, but in the Roman Empire, with the amazing passion of the Romans for abundant feasts, squid was already served at the tables of the aristocracy. Today, squids are popular in almost every corner of our world. And not only in those countries where the love for seafood is due to the proximity of the seas, such as in Asian countries, but also in countries, most of which are located inland. Squid enjoys considerable love and popularity in Russia. Until recently, we could enjoy this delicious shellfish only by getting a jar canned squid, but today we can easily purchase this delicacy in almost any nearby supermarket. To prepare squid dishes, the carcass and tentacles are usually used. However, squid tentacles are not particularly popular in home kitchen, most often dried rings are prepared from them or marinated in sea ​​cocktails. But squid carcass is perfect for a home menu.

What kind of dishes are not prepared from squid! Starting from the simplest well-known salads and appetizers to the most unimaginably complex dishes, including frying, stewing or long baking with vegetables, herbs and aromatic spices. However, all this huge variety of cooking methods can be easily reduced to the main secret of a successful squid dish: you need to cook squid either very quickly (no more than three to five minutes) or for quite a long time (more than 40 minutes). It is this cooking time that will allow you to make the meat of these shellfish tender, juicy and soft. And the delicate taste and aroma of squid, which makes it easy to combine them with almost any other product, can awaken your imagination and desire to prepare more and more new dishes from these delicious shellfish, diversifying your home menu.

Today the site has prepared for you a selection of the most important tips and small ones. culinary tricks, which will definitely help even completely inexperienced housewives and will easily tell you how to cook squid tasty and simple.

1. When buying squid in a store, remember that only residents of the Far East can enjoy fresh chilled squid. In continental Russia, squid comes only frozen. And if you live far from the Pacific Ocean or the Bering Sea, and you are offered to buy a chilled squid carcass, you should be wary, because most likely they are deceiving you, passing off a thawed (maybe more than once) squid as a chilled one.

2. Frozen squids are sold pre-packaged or by weight. Buying already packaged squid is, of course, safer. After all, on the packaging you can immediately see the date and place where the shellfish were caught and easily assess their freshness. Just make sure that the squid offered to you has not been thawed or re-frozen. It's very easy to do. Inspect the bag of squid carefully: the shellfish should not be stuck together, each squid should be covered with a thin transparent crust of ice. If the squid in the bag stuck together, and the ice turned into some kind of snow, then the storage conditions were violated, the squid had already been defrosted and could well have spoiled.

3. When buying frozen squid by weight, also pay attention to the thickness and transparency of the layer of ice covering the carcass. Remember that the ice must be thin and transparent! Plus, be sure to inspect the squid carcass itself, paying close attention to its color. Good fresh squid should have a pink skin color with a slight purple tint, and the meat should be completely white. If the mollusks offered to you have yellow, gray or even purple meat, refuse to purchase: these squids have already been thawed and frozen again more than once, they have already lost most of their taste and culinary qualities. Delicious dish It is impossible to cook from such squid.

4. When you bring frozen squid home, immediately place it in freezer your refrigerator and leave it there until ready. There is no need to defrost the squids first; this will only complicate their cleaning. But peeling frozen squid is very, very easy! Simply plunge each carcass into boiling water for one to two seconds, and the skin will immediately curl and pull away from the meat. All you have to do is rinse the squid under running water and lightly scrape with a sharp knife those places where the skin has not completely separated. Also, under running water, use your fingers to carefully remove the inner transparent chord, which resembles a piece of thin plastic. Rinse your squid and move on to the next step of preparation.

5. It is no secret that carcasses of large squid during prolonged cooking, especially stewing, can acquire an unpleasant odor of ammonia, and if this trouble has already occurred, it is impossible to correct it, the dish will have to be thrown away. There are two ways to avoid embarrassment:

• Buy only small baby squid for long-term cooking. Such squids will never spoil your dish with an unpleasant odor. However, the cost of such shellfish is not affordable for everyone.
• You can avoid unpleasant odor in large squids by simply soaking them. Before you start cooking already cleaned squids, fill them with cool water and leave for one to two hours. Then drain the water and rinse the shellfish thoroughly in running water. Ready! Squid prepared in this way will never spoil your dish and will not acquire an unpleasant odor even after prolonged cooking.

6. Now that your squids are completely ready for further culinary processing, it’s time to cook something delicious from them. Have you tried squid rings in garlic sauce? It's very easy to prepare them! Start by making a simple garlic sauce. Using a press, press five cloves of garlic into a small bowl, add a pinch of salt and one tablespoon of olive oil. Pour three tablespoons of boiling chicken broth or water over everything, mix thoroughly and let sit for 10 - 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut two squid carcasses into rings, boil them for one minute in boiling water and drain in a colander. Heat 2 tbsp in a frying pan. spoons of pork or chicken fat and fry the squid rings for one minute over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the squid to a colander as quickly as possible and allow the remaining fat to drain. In a separate saucepan, heat 1 tbsp. a spoonful of olive oil, add a pinch each of black and hot red pepper, stir quickly and remove from heat. Place the squid in a saucepan with hot oil, pour in garlic sauce and mix thoroughly. Delicious snack ready!

7. Fried squid with spicy mayonnaise sauce turns out very tasty. First of all, prepare the sauce. Mix 100 gr. mayonnaise, four crushed or pressed cloves of garlic and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of your favorites herbs, finely chopped. Let it brew in a cool place for half an hour. Now cook the squid. Cut three cleaned and well-washed carcasses into large rings. Place 2 tbsp in a plastic bag. spoons of starch, 4 tbsp. spoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of paprika and 1 teaspoon of salt. Then place the squid rings in it, pinch the top of the bag and shake vigorously so that all the squid rings are evenly coated with the breading mixture. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan so that the squid rings immersed in it are completely covered with oil. Remove the squid rings from the bag, shake off the excess breading and immerse them in small portions in the heated oil for one to two minutes until they form golden crust. Place the finished squid on paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve on a warm platter, with the sauce on the side.

8. It’s even easier and faster to prepare spicy fried squid. Peel, rinse and cut into not too thick half rings 500 g. squid Place the squid in a deep bowl, add the juice of one lemon, three crushed cloves of garlic and one small finely chopped chili pepper without seeds (in winter you can replace it with a pinch of ground red pepper). Stir and leave for 10 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp in a frying pan. spoons of butter, add your squid and fry over medium heat, stirring constantly, for three minutes until cooked. Remove from heat and serve immediately with a side dish of boiled rice and fresh or pickled vegetables.

9. Not so fast, but quite easy to prepare original Greek stewed squid. Clean, rinse and cut one kilogram of squid into small pieces. Place the squid in a deep frying pan, add two chopped red onions, half a cinnamon stick, three cloves and two bay leaves. Cover the pan with a lid and let it sit for 10 minutes. medium heat. During this time, the squid and onions will release their juice. Then remove the lid and let almost all the liquid evaporate. Remove whole spices. Pour in two glasses of dry red wine, 4 tbsp. spoons of olive oil, 2 tbsp. spoons of red wine vinegar, add a pinch of black pepper and salt to taste. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the squid for one hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and let the sauce thicken for 10 minutes. Serve over steamed rice.

10. Very easy and quick to prepare delicious squid in Provençal. Peel, rinse and cut into 500g rings half a centimeter wide. squid Prepare lemon dressing in advance: mix 2 tbsp. spoons of olive oil, zest and juice of one lemon, a pinch of salt and pepper. In a deep frying pan, heat 4 tbsp. spoons of olive oil, add four chopped garlic cloves and fry until transparent. Then add 200 gr. whole cherry tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon red pepper, one pinch each of salt and black ground pepper. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, for three minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the squid and a little more salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for three to five minutes until the squid is translucent. As soon as the squid is ready, drain almost all the resulting liquid, pour in the lemon dressing, add one tablespoon each of chopped parsley and mint, stir and serve immediately. You can serve boiled potatoes and fresh vegetables as a side dish.

And the “Culinary Eden” website on its pages is always happy to offer you even more interesting ideas: what to cook and proven recipes that will definitely tell you how to cook squid tasty and simple.

Irina Kamshilina

Cooking for someone is much more pleasant than cooking for yourself))

Content

Many Nordic cuisines, Asian or Mediterranean, include seafood. If you know how to cook squid tasty and quickly so that the meat is soft, then you can provide your diet with the beneficial substances that this product contains. Salads, deep-fried rings or stuffed carcass will complement both festive and everyday tables.

What are the benefits of squid?

Seafood contains many vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, manganese, iron, calcium and vitamin C. Squid is recommended even for those who are on a diet. Its beneficial properties:

• helps absorb iron. For example, 85 grams contains about 90% daily norm copper, which plays an important role in the metabolism and storage of iron, means it is involved in the process of formation of red blood cells. Copper deficiency can trigger the development of anemia.
• prevents the development of inflammatory processes due to selenium content.
• relieves headaches because it is rich in vitamin B2 (riboflavin);
• normalizes the condition of the skin, hair, nails due to the contained animal protein;
• reduces the risk of heart disease due to large amounts of vitamin B12;
• stabilizes blood sugar levels due to the content of vitamin B3;
• reduces blood pressure due to the presence of potassium;
• relaxes muscles and the nervous system due to magnesium;
• strengthens the immune system thanks to zinc;
• promotes the formation of healthy, strong teeth and bones, because meat is saturated with mineral phosphorus.

How to clean a squid carcass

If you bought frozen seafood, you don't need to put it straight into hot water. It is better to leave the carcasses to lie for a while at room temperature. When they become pliable, take a cutting board and a sharp knife and start peeling.

Before cooking

Press the raw carcass tightly onto the board with one hand, and carefully remove the thin film with the other. If the skin does not come off well, pour boiling water over the squid. The head and tentacles must be cut off. You can throw away the head, but the tentacles will come in handy when cooking. Remove the insides - chitinous plates that resemble cellophane. When the carcass turns white, it can be boiled, fried or baked in the oven.

After cooking

If you decide to boil the squid without preliminary cleaning, then you can get rid of the film in a few minutes. Immerse the boiled carcasses in cold water for a minute, and then carefully pull off the film by picking it up with your fingers or using a new kitchen brush with soft bristles - after a few movements it will roll into balls and come off easily.

How to properly cook squid so that it is soft

Squids cannot be kept in boiling water for more than 3 minutes, otherwise the tender meat will turn into a piece of rubber and it will be impossible to chew it. The cooking time for seafood does not depend on the form in which you cook it - peeled or with skin.

Cooking time for cleaned carcass

If you don't know how to cook peeled squid, use these tips:

• pour water into the pan, wait until the liquid boils;
• add salt and seasonings to boiling water;
• Place the cleaned carcasses in boiling water for 2 minutes; when the meat turns white, drain the water. If you have overcooked the seafood, boil it some more, but no more than 30 minutes - during this time the meat will become soft again;
• Cut the boiled carcasses into rings and serve with beer or use to make a salad.

How long to cook unpeeled squid

The process of cooking cleaned carcasses and those with film is almost identical. This option will take a little more time. Proceed like this:

• defrost carcasses;
• place a pan filled with water on the stove;
• add salt, bay leaf, allspice to boiling water;
• lower the carcasses into the water, turn off the heat, then cover the pan with a lid;
• After a few minutes, remove the seafood.

How to cook delicious squid

Squid is the least expensive of all seafood, so it can be eaten much more often than shrimp or mussels. Try stuffing the carcass, making pasta or risotto with fried rings, making a salad with egg and mayonnaise, or simply baking the whole squid and serving it instead of meat.

Baked in the oven

The seafood must first be marinated: left in a mixture of lemon juice, pepper, garlic and paprika. After this, you can transfer to a wire rack and bake, pouring over the remaining marinade. The oven temperature should be 200 degrees, the process should not take more than 30 minutes.

Stewed

Stewed squids are best made with the addition of sour cream. To prepare the dish, you need to place the chopped carcasses in a hot frying pan with oil and simmer for one and a half minutes. Next, adding flour, fry the rings over high heat for 30 seconds. At the end, pour boiling water, season and simmer under a closed lid over low heat for another minute and a half.

Fried

Before frying squid, they must be boiled, then cut into strips or rings. It is recommended to dip prepared seafood in lezon (sour cream whipped with eggs, salt and spices), roll in breadcrumbs and fry in vegetable oil (or butter) or deep-fry the preparations. There is no need to overheat the product - after 5 minutes you can serve the dish.

In a slow cooker

If you like to use modern technology, adapt any recipe for a slow cooker. To cook squid, boil 2 liters of water, add seasonings, salt, and leave it to simmer for 5 minutes. After this, start lowering one carcass at a time, holding each for 10 seconds, take it out - this time will be enough.

Squid dishes

Seafood goes well with vegetables, pasta, cereals, herbs and even some fruits. You can prepare salads or hot dishes. Vegetarians will replace meat with squid.

Egg salad

• Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Number of servings: 2 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 102 kcal.
• Purpose: for a snack.
• Cuisine: European.

Classical cold appetizer- a mixture of squid meat, eggs, peas and potatoes. You can do without potatoes. If you don't like it too delicate taste sour cream dressing, add a couple of teaspoons of mayonnaise or a little mustard to it.

Ingredients:

• eggs – 2 pcs.;
• salt pepper;
• fresh cucumber- 1 PC.;
• canned peas – 120 g;
• sour cream – 1 tbsp. l.;
• potatoes – 2 pcs.;
• squid – 1 pc.

Cooking method:

1. Wrap the potatoes in foil and bake. Peel the cooled tubers and cut into cubes.
2. Boil eggs, cut on a grater.
3. Chop the squid into rings and simmer.
4. Turn carrots and cucumbers into thin half rings.
5. Mix the prepared products in a bowl, add peas.
6. Season the salad ingredients with sour cream, season, and mix with a spoon.

• Number of servings: 5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 346 kcal.
• Purpose: for a snack.
• Cuisine: European.
• Difficulty of preparation: easy.

This dish is an excellent snack to go with beer. The rings will turn out even more delicious if the batter is crispy: to do this, you need to freeze distilled water, then defrost it and add it to the base while ice-cold.

Ingredients:

• beer – 70 ml;
• squid – 1 kg;
• salt – 5 tbsp. l.;
• eggs – 5 pcs.;
• vegetable oil – 0.5 cups;
• bay leaf – 1 pc.;
• peppercorns - to taste;
• flour – 2 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

1. Boil water, add salt, add spices.
2. After boiling, add thawed squid carcasses into the bubbling liquid. Boil them for 2 minutes, remove them and hold them under cold water, then cut into rings.
3. Prepare the batter: gradually add flour to well-beaten eggs, continuing to beat the mixture. Add beer, a little salt. Beat the ingredients until the batter is liquid, like sour cream.
4. Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
5. Dip the rings one by one into the batter and place each one in the oil. Fry the pieces on both sides until golden brown, serve immediately.

In sour cream

• Cooking time: 30 minutes.
• Number of servings: 3 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 150 kcal.
• Purpose: for lunch.
• Cuisine: Russian.
• Difficulty of preparation: easy.

Squid stewed in sour cream can replace meat dishes (such as beef stroganoff) during Lent or if you want a lighter meal.

Ingredients:

• greens - to taste;
• onions – 2 pcs.;
• salt – 1 tsp;
• sour cream – 300 ml;
• squid carcasses – 4 pcs.;
• seasoning for fish - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Remove the insides, cartilaginous plate, remove the film.
2. Cut into rings or cut each carcass and chop into strips.
3. Chop the onions and fry until the pieces become soft and transparent.
4. Pour sour cream into the frying pan with the onions, boil everything, add seasoning and salt.
5. Send to received sour cream sauce Prepared seafood, simmer for 4 minutes, remembering to stir.
6. Sprinkle the dish with herbs.

Rice

• Cooking time: 25 minutes.
• Number of servings: 5 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 80 kcal.
• Purpose: for lunch/dinner.
• Cuisine: Asian.
• Difficulty of preparation: easy.

Those who eat right and prefer dietary foods will definitely appreciate rice with squid and vegetables. The main thing is to do everything step by step, otherwise the seafood will turn out tough and tasteless.

Ingredients:

• onion – 1 pc.;
• tomato – 1 pc.;
• olive oil – 2 tbsp. l.;
• red sweet pepper – 1 pc.;
• water – 600 ml;
• carrots – 1 pc.;
• rice – 200 g;
• zucchini – 300 g;
• squid – 370 g;
• salt - to taste;
• soy sauce – 50 ml.

Cooking method:

1. Boil the washed rice.
2. Finely chop the onion and carrots and fry them in a hot frying pan with oil.
3. Add small pieces of zucchini, tomato and sweet pepper to fry, simmer everything together.
4. When the ingredients are almost ready, add squid pieces to them and leave to simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Pour soy sauce into the pan and let simmer for three minutes.
6. Add rice to the prepared ingredients and mix everything well.

Stuffed carcasses

• Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes.
• Number of servings: 10 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 90 kcal.
• Purpose: for lunch/dinner.
• Cuisine: Mediterranean.
• Difficulty of preparation: easy.

If you cook a squid carcass in the oven, stuffing it with a mixture of eggs, chicken fillet and mushrooms, it will work holiday dish. The main thing is not to keep it warm.

Ingredients:

• boiled chicken fillet – 350 g;
• sour cream 15% - 3 tbsp. l.;
• salt pepper;
• eggs – 3 pcs.;
• shellfish carcasses – 10 pcs.;
• onions – 2 pcs.;
• fresh champignons – 400 g;
• greens - to taste;
• onions – 2 pcs.

Cooking method:

1. Cut the mushrooms into small slices of medium thickness and fry in a frying pan.
2. Add pre-cut onions into thin half rings to the half-cooked champignons. Season the onion-mushroom mixture, add salt, and simmer until all components are cooked.
3. Boiled chicken breast cut into not too large cubes, like the eggs.
4. Pour the prepared onion-mushroom mixture into the bowl with the fillet and eggs, add chopped herbs, and pour sour cream. Try the filling, and if necessary, season or add salt - it should be completely ready and tasty.
5. Place the filling into the cleaned boiled carcasses.
6. Place the preparations on a baking sheet at a short distance from each other, otherwise they may stick together, pour sour cream on top (you can use mayonnaise if desired) and sprinkle with ground red paprika - this will make the dish brighter and more aromatic.
7. Place the baking sheet in the oven, which by this time has already warmed up to 180 degrees. Time it for 20 minutes and remove the finished stuffed seafood.
8. If desired, serve soy sauce along with the dish.

In Korean

• Cooking time: 12 hours.
• Number of servings: 10 persons.
• Calorie content of the dish: 125 kcal.
• Purpose: for a snack.
• Cuisine: Korean.
• Difficulty of preparation: easy.

Korean-style spicy squid will be a hit if you like... spicy dishes. The amount of garlic and pepper can be changed to suit your taste.

Ingredients:

• garlic – 4 cloves;
• salt - to taste;
• vegetable oil – 30 ml;
• squid – 1 kg;
• sugar – 1 tbsp. l.;
• ground black front - to taste;
• vinegar - 2 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

1. Cut the carcasses, lower each one in turn into boiling water for 3-4 minutes.
2. Cut the squid into rings or strips.
3. Combine the oil and vinegar in a saucepan; heat the mixture, but do not boil.
4. Pour the oil-vinegar mixture into the meat.
5. Salt the preparation, add pepper and finely chopped garlic, mix everything, cool.
6. Cover the dishes cling film, put it in the refrigerator overnight.

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How to cook squid tasty and quickly