Squid: how to clean and cook correctly?

Let's talk about squid. This is a delicious delicious delicacy. It is rich in vitamins and proteins, minerals, microelements. In addition, it has a low calorie content, but it is very nutritious, which made it popular with those who adhere to the diet. However, not all dishes with this ingredient are delicious. Why? But because not everyone knows how to prepare them. Squid (how to clean and cook them - we'll discuss in detail later), if I may say so, are very demanding in terms of processing, and not every housewife, especially a beginner, will cope with the task, having conceived to treat the family with a delicious and healthy dish. However, this is not a reason to deny yourself the pleasure. We will share with you the main secrets.

Oh, this squid ...

Many people know how to clean and cook these representatives of marine fauna. Theoretically ... But as soon as it comes to practice, problems begin. Guru in the field of cooking, of course, have their secrets. We do not belong to such people, but, as they say, we will help than we can.

It is believed that these shellfish are difficult to prepare, but it is not so. We want to debunk this myth. There is nothing complicated in technology, just need to own certain information. In principle, it all boils down to one question: "How to cook and clean properly?" Squids are very whimsical. If you overdo the seafood in hot water, it will become rubber, and the dish itself is tasteless. And properly cooked, they are very tasty and nutritious.

So, let's start with what we understand: squid first cleaned or brewed? How to proceed? In general, untreated are considered more useful and qualitative. After all, in factories they are subjected to heat treatment, because of which they become more stringent. However, the inhabitants of the Mediterranean countries know how to prepare them. So, they advise to do so: first defrost the seafood to room temperature, and then dip for a couple of minutes in boiling water (the skin should curdle), drain unnecessary liquid and send the carcass now into cold water. Believe me, after these manipulations, the folded skin can be removed very simply. Then the internals are removed. And now our squid is almost ready. The most difficult part has already been accomplished. This method, in our opinion, is the best, it allows you to keep the softness, juiciness and tenderness of the product.

Time matters

We have already figured out how to clean the squid. How much to cook squid - remains to be seen. And this is how it is done. Put pepper in a pot, salt and, of course, a bay leaf. Next, you need to wait for the moment when the liquid boils, then in it you need to lower the carcass literally for ten seconds and quickly take it out. So you have to deal with every piece.

Complicated? Not at all. However, that's not all. It would seem, what else should the hostess do to prepare these seafood, except how to clean and cook? Squid, especially properly cooked, is a delicious delicacy. But in order to feed the relatives with just one, and not with "rubber", it is desirable to practice. This requires skill. Try at least a couple of times to cook a clam in the way that we described above. And it is not necessary to spoil the entire carcase, it is enough to cut off a couple of pieces. And remember: prolonged heat treatment (over 3 minutes) is contraindicated! She completely deprives the seafood of any taste, and even about the nutritional and can not speak. Tender meat turns into a piece of sole that can not be chewed.

That's how he is whimsical - squid. How to clean and cook these cephalopods, navrnoe, is already clear. But, as they say, there is no limit to perfection, and therefore, we will continue to get acquainted with the tricks of culinary craftsmanship. So...

Another way of cooking

There are a lot of ways of cooking squid. However, frankly speaking, they are not all good. We want to offer you another option worthy of attention. We need to bring the water to a boil with spices and salt, and then put our mollusks there. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. And let them stand in boiling water for about ten minutes.

Talking about what a wonderful product of squid, how to clean and cook it correctly, it is impossible not to mention one more way of preparing it - without the process of defrosting. To do this, simply dip the carcass into boiling water for literally one minute, then turn off the fire and hold another two to three minutes in the water.

Not only cook, but also fry

Squid - this is a universal product from which you can make a lot of delicious dishes. All of them are very diverse and not so difficult to prepare. And now you will see this.

So, you have a squid on your table. How to clean and cook it, we figured out, let's find out how to properly fry it.

Perhaps you will be surprised, but before the hot shellfish should be boiled. To do this, use one of the above methods. Then cut them into rings or in the form of straws. Each dip into a sauce of beaten eggs with salt, sour cream and spices, roll in crackers and fry in vegetable, and preferably - butter, but no more than five minutes.

Remarkable are squid, baked in the oven or on a grate. But for such an option, they must first be marinated in a few hours. As a marinade, you can use lemon juice, garlic, pepper and paprika. Then the shellfish is placed on a grill and baked, pouring the remaining liquid.

Typically, inexperienced cooks are interested in how to properly clean squid: before or after cooking? Of course, before, just beforehand having showered them with boiling water. Knowing this simple secret, you can easily cope with the preparation of any dish from the shellfish.

Stuffed squid

At the beginning the squid is cleaned, and then each carcass is beaten. Then half the stuffing must be stuffed with minced meat. As a filling, you can take eggs with mushrooms, rice with vegetables, cheese and shrimp, apples and cottage cheese. The edges of squid can be fastened with toothpicks, and then stew them in the oven in a small amount of liquid. A couple of minutes before they can be sprinkled with cheese and sent back to the oven to form a tanned crust. In the finished form, the dish can be poured with wine, cream, sour cream, nut or tomato sauce.

Do not be surprised that in many recipes you will find an unusual combination of products. For example, squid with crab sticks and corn, with minced meat, sprat and bread, dried fruits and nuts.

In any national cuisine there are a lot of their secrets of cooking shellfish. But you always need to remember one rule. Do not overload these dishes with spices. The main ingredient has the property of actively absorbing all surrounding odors. And because your culinary masterpiece can turn out too saturated.

The seafood prepared by itself is not all, you need to pick the right side dish to it. For example, vegetables, rice, pasta. Then decorate the finished dish with herbs and lemon, olives. Then the dish will turn out to be harmonious and unrepeatable.

How to choose when buying fresh squid?

To prepare a good dish, you first need to buy a fairly fresh product. Squid meat, as a rule, is sold frozen. Carcasses sometimes come even with tentacles. Any frozen product should not be frozen several times and thawed. Wrong conditions for its storage can nullify all the gustatory qualities. Therefore, it is not surprising that there is an unpleasant smell of fish and a bitter taste. When cooking such a clam creeps in the hands and strongly foams when cooking. Dish from such a squid does not turn out delicious, and then it's not your fault, and it's not in the recipe. Therefore, carefully inspect the goods when you choose it in the supermarket.

The carcass of the shellfish should have a dense consistency. The upper film that you will be shooting has a brownish-pink tinge, and the meat inside is white.

Never buy cleaned carcasses. Of course, this is convenient. But it is the squid film that is the part by which you can certainly determine its freshness. How? Yes, it's very simple. See: if the skin is yellowish in color, and the meat inside is not white, then it is better not to buy such a product. Surely he has already been lying on the window for a long time.

Little trick

Imagine a situation when you still purely accidentally digested squid, and the meat became hard. Dont be upset. Not everything is so bad. Do not immediately throw out the product. There is a small trick that will make the carcass softer. This squid needs to boil for about an hour. Yes yes exactly! Of course, the mollusk will greatly diminish in size and will lose almost all its useful properties, but you will correct the situation. And get your own experience in the preparation of these inhabitants of the sea depths.

What delicious can you make from squid?

Most often squid meat is used to make salads, but they can be served as a separate dish.

Naturally, seafood salads are not prepared in large quantities. It is a delicacy and nutritious product with a specific taste, because the main ingredient is the squid itself. He must prevail. The rest of the components should be put much less.

Recipe for salad from squid with rice

How to properly cook and clean squid for salad, we have already figured out. Let's now consider several recipes.

For the preparation, take:

1. Rice - 100 g.
2. Eggs - 3 pcs.
3. Squid (better than their fillets) - 250 g.
4. Green peas (canned) - ½ jar.
5. Dill greens - one bunch.
6. Salt and pepper are put on your taste.
7. Sour cream with mayonnaise.

For the preparation of boil rice. Squids are cleaned and boiled in one of the above ways. Then cut them in the form of rings. Boiled eggs cut and mixed with squid and peas. Mix for filling sour cream with mayonnaise, add salt and pepper, and chopped greens. Mix all ingredients with sauce. Here is the salad ready.

Squid with potatoes and onions

Take the following set of products:

1. Potatoes - 0,5 kg.
2. Squids (fillets) - 0,4-0,5 kg.
3. Vegetable oil.
4. Onions are 100 g.
5. Green onion.
6. Ground pepper.
7. Table vinegar.

To prepare salad, boiled squid carcasses must be cut into straws. Potatoes boil in a uniform, cool, and then clean and cut into cubes. Onion cut into rings. Gently combine all the ingredients, adding ground pepper. You can also sprinkle a little vinegar. The salad is dressed with vegetable oil.

Instead of an afterword

As you can see, recipes of dishes from seafood are not at all complicated. The main thing is to properly clean and weld the mollusks properly. And further preparation will not be difficult. Take advantage of our advice and you will be pleasantly surprised by the result. Bon Appetit!