Squid recipes?!?

[getawayFK]

Hello everyone...

Just posting here to check out if anyone knows an easy and smooth way of preparing squids ?

I've recently shot couple of squids but never figured out how to properly prepare them (reading off the internet etc...) so it all went to a waste (horrible taste and was more like chewing rubber!!)

Thanks in advance !

[agbiv]

How big? Bodies I mean (tubes).

[Spaniard]

Classic calamari recipe is to clean them properly so you end up with hollow tube, the main body part then cut the tube into 'rings'. You can either dip the rings into a batter or simply toss in seasoned flour. Put into hot oil and fry for a few minutes. Drain onto kitchen paper and serve with lemon wedges.

[getawayFK]

Originally Posted by agbiv

How big? Bodies I mean (tubes).

you can say an easy 30-50cm size of some 3-4.5kg

[mishu1984]

cut them into thin rings and fry with some batter or flour.

on a side note, when i was in doha a kilo of hamour whole was 35 QR, and a kilo of hamour fillet was 90 QR.

so if you get another 50kg hamour you could get about 25-35kgs of fillet. thats 3000qr from one fish, instead of shooting 30 cudas. easy money, specially for someone as skilled as you.

[mishu1984]

oh yeah, you can also stuff them and put them in the oven, but if you get it wrong it tastes like crap

[octpora]

Look for a cerviche recipe. They basically use acids [citrus or vinegar] to 'cook' the seafood without heat.

One of my favorite is grilled with a rub of sugar, salt and peppers.

Whatever method you use, do not over cook it. That is what usually makes it tough or rubbery. And Squid cooks very fast.

[getawayFK]

Originally Posted by mishu1984

cut them into thin rings and fry with some batter or flour.

on a side note, when i was in doha a kilo of hamour whole was 35 QR, and a kilo of hamour fillet was 90 QR.

so if you get another 50kg hamour you could get about 25-35kgs of fillet. thats 3000qr from one fish, instead of shooting 30 cudas. easy money, specially for someone as skilled as you.

Haha of course but then if I shoot 15groupers in one single area then I know for sure I'll never see any grouper there for the next 10yrs !!!

ECOLOGICAL HUNTING !!!! even though we frequently deviate from this rule !

So although we sometimes shoot 10groupers or more (when in larger group of diving buddies), we notice that it takes a lot of time for the area to recover.... Unlike schools of pelagics where you get 3-4 fish from each school you encounter...

[agbiv]

Important observation regarding our bottom dwelling & limited range prey. I always think how much is enough for each trip.

As for squids (hamour???) the meat is virtually fat free, cholesterol free and very high protien content. It is (should be) mild and sometimes chewy especially if overcooked. Rememeber to either simmer in a sauce a looong time or quick fry/grill/saute.

From your measurements these are good sized squids, I imagine with bodies (tubes when cleaned) they are 35 - 30 cm long. When cleaning the creature ALL the interior must be cleaned out. Entrails, siphon and the clear cartilidge bone. The head is prepared by removing eyes, beak (mouth-part) and the ends of the two long capture tentacles.

Next get a large pot with heavily salted water to a roiling boil. A wire basket, wire strainer or some other dipping device is needed. You will blanch the squid in the boiling water for 30-45 seconds. Remove to collander and rinse with cold water. Strip the skins from the squid. Now it's ready to cook!

I like to make a mixture of bread crumbs, crab meat, diced cooked scallops, small cooked shrimp, celery, onion, shredded mozarella and your favorite seasonings combined into a stuffing. Stuff the tube full. Roll in Japanese bread crumbs and deep fry for 4 minutes. The heads can be rolled in the same but only need about 2 minutes. Lightly salt and enjoy, usually with a maranara sauce to dip.

[getawayFK]

That sounds like an amazing recipe. Will try it soon

As for hamour, that is "greasy grouper" (Epinephelus coioides) which is very common here and taste amazing...

Best regards

[agbiv]

Ah-so! And the word for squid in your language? By the way thanks for the nice replies from all to the Ramadan blessings I sent. I am Christian by faith, Lutheran by theology but very in tune to the ONE which transends our human cubbyholes we call religion. Besides, if we all revel in HIS creation as we do there is certainly a common link.

[getawayFK]

In my language (French or Bosnian), it's : Calmar (squid) in French, or Lignja in Bosnian, and poulpe (or pieuvre) for octopus, (hobotnica in Bosnian), and mérou for grouper (or šrkpina)


But in Qatar, grouper is hamour, squid is "khathag (or khassag), and for octopus, hmm, I can't remember now...

As for squids, we basically get two species; one that is small and pretty pinkish-purple (max size of 20cm), and another one with dark purple and black strips that can be up to 70cm and like 8kg.

Regards

[mishu1984]

i thought that khatag was cuttlefish

[getawayFK]

oopsss my bad! Actually I've been talkign about cuttlefish all this time, and not squids.... The one I shot here were cuttlefish...

Thanks mishu for correcting me

[agbiv]

Same for preperation but we don't get cuttles around here except really little ones 5-10 cm and they're by protected areas. We also don't get the really huge squids either. Need colder water I think.