In modern nutrition, the desire for healthy food prevails; therefore, healthy foods are preferred, rich in vitamins and all kinds of nutrients, but light, not fatty. The cooking technique involves a minimum of processing and fat. This determines today's pace, and mode of life, employment. At the same time, it is important that the dishes are prepared as quickly as possible and not difficult, however, in terms of taste and aesthetic characteristics, they were, as they say, on top. These can be attributed to squid. Amazingly tender and full of valuable substances, the product is easy to digest, light, satisfying and quick to prepare. In addition, they are devoid of the characteristic marine aroma. However, ignorance of what is right and, most importantly, how much does not allow this seafood to take, say, eligible leadership positions in the kitchen, corresponding to its capabilities and characteristics: nutritional, taste, dietary and visual. Meanwhile, squid is an almost universal product. It is put in salads, complemented with all kinds of soups, can be fried in spicy batter or breading, stuffed, made cutlets, risotto, served as a separate side dish or an independent dish. At the same time, the determining factor of tenderness will be the indicator of how much to cook or fry.

Many believe, and this is a mistake, that you need to cook squid for about five minutes in general, or 2-3 after boiling water. And they are simply amazed when they get an incredibly hard, almost rubber product, which is really difficult to chew. In the same way, how to cook squid correctly and how much, there are simple, but obligatory subtleties. Firstly, seafood should be dipped only in strongly boiling water for about two minutes. You can count to ten for accuracy, not quickly and not slowly. Take out immediately. It is also noteworthy that you can not throw squid in a crowd, ball or in a row. Boiled one, take it out, wait for the boil, lay the next one. Before cooking, water should boil on its own or in company with herbs, salt, parsley, peppercorns for about five minutes. If the moment, as they say, is missed and more than two minutes have passed, it is better to cook the squid carcass without taking it out for more than half an hour. Then the product will regain the desired tenderness and softness, but significantly decrease. However, when preparing soups, it is quite acceptable. Fried, stewed squids are also no more than two to three minutes or longer.

How and how much to cook squid determines their choice and preparation for processing. It is clear that the product is of poor quality, at least two, at least ten minutes to cook a squid carcass, there is no difference, it will be tough and definitely tasteless. Squids are sold, as a rule, frozen. It is important to ensure that the carcasses are easily separated from one another, that they are not stuck together in an incomprehensible lump, which indicates their repeated, one might say, unauthorized defrosting. Such a product, no matter how much squid is cooked, will give bitterness, heterogeneity and stiffness during processing. Squids must be frozen once when harvesting. The film shell of the squid comes in different tones: gray, pinkish, purple and their transitions. At the same time, the meat is only white, clean, without streaks and shade. If the color even slightly differs from white and is similar to the color of the film, the squids have been defrosted, which is unacceptable.

Again, squids should be cleaned before cooking, otherwise stiffness is ensured. Cleaning them is much easier than you think. Almost defrosted carcasses just need to be poured or poured over with boiling water, then cleaned, removing the film with a stocking, it leaves almost on its own under running cold water. Do not forget to take out the chord - a transparent bar. Everything.

Anyone who has tried squid at least once will surely want to try this delicacy again. The main feature of this seafood is its delicate taste, which will surely appeal not only to adults, but also to children. However, when trying to cook squid at home, many encounter failure - their meat becomes tough, tasteless, or acquires an unpleasant odor that can spoil all the pleasure of eating. However, the salad needs the perfect ingredients, because only in this case you can enjoy it to the fullest. Therefore, every housewife should know how to cook squid properly, as well as a few more secrets of their preparation.

Remember that the proper preparation of squid begins with the choice in the store. To do this, you should go to a good supermarket or specialized outlet.

It is better not to buy seafood in small shops, as you cannot be sure of their quality and proper storage conditions.

If you live far enough from the ocean, you should only be interested in frozen squid, since this product does not withstand long-term refrigerated storage. To prepare a salad, you will need ready-made carcasses, but for serving, you can choose a whole squid with tentacles.

Carefully inspect the frozen foods offered by the store - they should have a uniform, white or slightly purple color. Signs of damage will be:

• gray or bluish tint;
• brown, red and bluish spots;
• deep cracks on carcasses in places of their damage.

It is better not to buy peeled squid carcasses, since only on the skin you can see the main signs of a poor-quality product. Do not be afraid of laborious work - in fact, the skin is easy to peel and does not cause any trouble.

If only peeled squids are available in the store, try to carefully inspect them for small reddish, black or brown dots that will indicate spoilage. Bringing home, put the product in the freezer and take it out just before cooking. Repeated freezing and thawing harms squid and makes them unfit for human consumption. When defrosting, pay attention to the density of the carcasses - they should be quite elastic and a little harsh, and also restore their shape after being pressed. If the squid becomes jelly-like, you won't be able to add it to a salad or use it to make another dish.

Cooking

Frozen foods should be placed in a plastic or metal tray and allowed to thaw on their own - they cannot be heated, as squids can become too soft and shapeless. Regardless of whether you are going to cook a salad or another dish, the carcasses must be cleaned, since the skin is inedible and too tough.

It is very simple to do this - you need to boil water and dip the squid in it, using a special kitchen clip or a long two-pronged fork. The skin will instantly curl up, and you just have to remove it, as well as cut off the tentacles, remove the chitinous plates inside and outside, on the wings. For a gourmet salad, the peeled carcasses can also be lightly scraped, as small hard scales may remain on them.

Now you need to learn how to cook squid properly in order to make a salad or other dish based on them really tasty. Remember that frozen carcasses cannot be dipped in boiling water, as they will instantly lose their shape and also become unsuitable for eating. Also, you should not cook squid for a long time, because from prolonged exposure to temperature they become very tough and unpleasant in taste. . To prepare a salad, it will be enough to dip the squid in boiling water for exactly two minutes.

There are several basic options for cooking such a delicacy dish:

1. Dip in boiling water with salt and spices for about 2 minutes and immediately remove with a slotted spoon, observing the precautionary rules.
2. Put several carcasses in boiling water with salt and spices and immediately remove from heat, after about 10 minutes they will acquire the necessary degree of readiness.
3. If there are a lot of squids, you need to put all the peeled carcasses in a saucepan and put on fire. When the water boils, you need to add the desired spices and remove the pan from the heat. It will take 5 minutes to cook the meat, after which the carcasses will need to be carefully removed.

If you have cooked squid for too long, they will not be suitable for making a salad due to the high stiffness of the meat. However, there is a little trick that allows you to restore the original state of the product. It is necessary to cook it on low heat for an hour, until the meat softens again and becomes acceptable in taste. But it should be borne in mind that you put much fewer products in a salad, and they will lose all their useful properties, since long-term cooking destroys many organic compounds and leaches out minerals.

What to cook?

First of all, squid is boiled for salad, which has a very delicate taste, high nutritional value and excellent beneficial properties. Remember that such a dish is not prepared from a dozen ingredients and do not add 2-3 times more other products there. The taste of squid is very specific, and therefore the salad should consist of at least a third or even half of them.

After preparing frozen foods, cut the carcasses into rings or chop them into large strips, and then mix with other foods by adding a little mayonnaise or vegetable oil. Squids are combined with cucumbers, fresh lettuce, rice, nuts, boiled egg, as well as basil and other fresh spices.

Peeled and boiled carcasses can also be stuffed - for this you should use a vegetable salad or a mixture based on poultry meat. You should not combine squid with other seafood or rather heavy meats like beef and pork. If desired, the stuffed carcass can be baked in the oven so that it acquires a pleasant golden hue and a spicy taste. You can also cook squid in batter, baking them in the oven or frying them in a deep fryer. Before serving, they can be sprinkled with lemon juice, and along with squids, serve a light vegetable salad and white wine.

If you did not cook squid for salad, you can make a traditional Japanese pie. It is prepared on the basis of yeast dough and smeared with mushroom sauce, which emphasizes the taste of seafood. It should be baked for approximately 20-25 minutes at medium temperature, because with prolonged heat treatment, the main ingredient will become excessively hard and tasteless. Also, squids are added to many dishes, including soups, yeast pies, and are used as a filling for stuffed fish and meat. In Japan, slices of boiled octopus and squid boiled in cuttlefish ink are considered a special delicacy, but if this dish is not cooked correctly, it will be dangerous to health.

Boiled squid meat is often used by housewives to prepare sea salad or fried with various types of side dishes. Well, if you know how much to cook squid and how to do it according to all the rules, the finished product can be used as an independent delicacy.

Before serving, it will be enough to salt it, cut into rings and sprinkle with lemon juice. First you need to spend a little time choosing a quality product, if necessary, clean the blanks. After that, you can start cooking them by choosing one of the many methods.

How to choose a quality squid?

Regardless of whether squid or a more complex dish is purchased for a salad, the selection process must be taken seriously. You should at least remember the following points:

1. The component is best purchased in an unpeeled form, with a skin. It is best that these are whole chilled or frozen carcasses.
2. You need to make sure that the meat of a marine animal has been frozen only once. This is indicated by its integrity and aesthetic appearance. If the carcasses are broken or stuck together, this indicates re-freezing. Even if you boil such products according to all the rules, they will be bitter and fall apart during processing.
3. Squid meat can only be white, but any skin color is acceptable. If the color of the pulp has changed as a result of heat treatment, it is better to get rid of it.

From the acquisition, molded in the form of cubes of squid meat, it is better to refuse. Such blanks are of low quality. After cooking, they are very bitter and acquire an unpleasant loose texture.

How to boil squid for salad?

To figure out how to cook squid properly, you need to pay special attention to two things. The first is the processing time of the component, which will allow the product to be brought to an edible state, but at the same time will not cause protein folding and the transformation of tender pulp into rubber. The second is the correct use of additional components and a special approach to organizing the process. The delicacy, which will be used as a component of the salad, must be peeled and subjected to the following treatment:

• For 1 kg of fresh component, we take 2 liters of water and 2 tablespoons of salt. In addition, you should take 3 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a few black peppercorns and a couple of bay leaves. These ingredients are taken so that the squids at the exit are not tasteless and insipid.

Tip: If the squids are overcooked, they will shrink in size and take on the consistency of rubber. In order to somehow improve the situation, you need to continue boiling the components. Processing for 20 minutes of the total time will restore the softness of the meat. True, the dimensions will not be restored.

• We put all additional components in water, which we bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and lay out fresh squid whole or cut into large pieces.
• The blanks are cooked for no more than 1.5 minutes, and there is no need to wait for them to boil again. If the carcasses are small, 1 minute is enough.
• Now the products must be removed from the water, put in a colander and cooled to room temperature. Some housewives simply remove the pan from the heat, but this is not enough. The blanks will continue to cook, because of which they will become rubber.

When boiling squid, you should not rely on your intuition. It is necessary to accurately record the time, and even better - set an alarm clock or start a timer. Just a few seconds of delay can lead to spoilage of the product.

Features of boiling frozen squid

In modern stores, squids are most often sold frozen. To get an ideal component for a salad or main dish from such a product, you need to do the following:

• It will take quite a long time to properly defrost a marine reptile. At least 4-5 hours before cooking, the semi-finished product should be put in the refrigerator, away from the freezer. It is strictly forbidden to try to speed up the process of bringing the product to the desired state by using a microwave, hair dryer, or a container of water.
• No need to wait until the carcasses are completely defrosted. If they are still dense, they will be easier to clean. Cleaning is carried out in the direction from the tentacles to the head of the individual. To do this, just pick up the skin and pull. After that, films, chitin plates, and entrails are removed.
• The resulting mass is cut into rings, small pieces or strips. During operation, the meat should be completely defrosted. We boil it in the same way as a fresh product.
• If during the cooking process dense lumps appeared on the surface of the meat, this indicates poor cleaning. The situation can be corrected only by cutting off problem areas, so the preliminary stage must be carried out carefully.

If boiled squids are not planned to be used immediately, then they can be kept in the same broth in which they were boiled. True, at first both the blanks and the liquid must be cooled to room temperature.

How should squid rings be cooked?

If there were no whole carcasses on sale and you had to purchase rings subjected to industrial cutting and freezing, you need to use a special approach. It is slightly different from how to cook frozen squid if they are whole.

• Boil water with spices or broth in a saucepan. We lower the frozen rings into the liquid. If they are thawed beforehand, the texture of the product will turn out to be very loose and unappetizing.

Tip: If squids have been stored with fish or other strong-smelling foods for some time, which is why they have acquired an unpleasant odor, you do not need to throw away the delicacy. It is enough to boil it in water with the addition of fresh herbs or sprinkle the already prepared component with lemon juice.

• Immediately after this, the pan must be removed from the heat, without waiting for the water to boil. Cover the container with a lid and keep at room temperature for 10 minutes.

After the specified time, squids intended for salad or other dishes can be taken out with a slotted spoon and used for their intended purpose.

Unusual options for boiling squid

Squids can be cooked not only in the traditional way, using a pot of water for this. There are many similarly simple approaches that allow you to get an equally tasty and slightly unusual product.

• In the microwave in the broth. Pour water with spices or ready-made broth into a bowl suitable for use in a microwave oven. Bring the liquid to a boil for 1-2 minutes. We lay out pieces or whole carcasses of fresh (thawed) squid, send it for processing. It is enough to hold the blanks for 1.5 minutes at maximum power, and they will be ready.
• In the microwave in its own juice. Put thawed or fresh pieces of squid in a bowl, pour a teaspoon of lemon juice and a tablespoon of vegetable oil. We mix the mass and send it to the oven. We cook for no more than a minute at maximum power. We insist the product for another 5 minutes in the switched off microwave.
• In a multicooker. Put the pieces of squid in the bowl of the device, fill it with water. Add salt, pepper, herbs, spices to taste and close the lid. Set the "Cooking" mode, set the timer to 3 minutes. After turning off the appliance, wait another 5 minutes before opening the lid. If the squids are initially filled with boiling water, open the lid immediately after processing.
• In a steamer. We spread the pieces of carcass or rings in the steamer tray, salt, pepper. If desired, you can put greens or spices directly into the tray. We start the device for 10 minutes, if it is not very powerful or it takes a long time to form steam, set the timer for 12 minutes. This method is the most gentle, in this case it is almost impossible to digest the workpieces.

Contrary to popular belief, not only the carcass is edible in squid. In general, only the head, cartilaginous part (gladius) and intestines are subject to removal. Fins can be eaten, they are denser and fleshy than the carcass itself. The tentacles, which almost everyone throws away, are the source of the most tender meat. They only need to be thoroughly cleaned and can be used in the same way as the rest of the parts. The main thing is not to forget to remove the suction cups.

A lot has been said about the benefits of seafood: they contain a record amount of iodine, potassium, phosphorus and other substances necessary for our body. The most affordable seafood on Russian shelves is squid - frozen carcasses are sold in almost all stores, in factory packaging or by weight, and the price is usually quite acceptable. Sweet tender squid meat goes well with vegetables, so it is often found in salad recipes. But it is important to remember - a capricious product requires careful preparation. How to cook squids so that they are soft, we will tell you step by step with a photo.

Why are squids healthier than meat?

Many nutritionists recommend that clients enrich their diet with squid dishes in order to lose weight faster, more easily endure dietary restrictions, and replenish the deficiency of nutrients. In addition, seafood helps to quickly build muscle mass, because with a low calorie content, 122 kcal per 100 g, it contains 21 g of easily digestible protein.

The health benefits are undeniable:

• High potassium content supports the activity of the heart muscle, and also removes excess fluid, eliminating swelling and lowering blood pressure;
• In squid no cholesterol Moreover, the taurine contained in them helps to lower cholesterol levels at its elevated values, regulates blood pressure, narrows the arteries;
• Soft and tender meat ideal for children's kitchen- unusual dishes will provide the growing body with phosphorus, iron, copper, iodine, arginine, lysine;
• Shellfish is rich in vitamin E and selenium, the combination of which reduces the harm of salts of heavy metals, which is especially important for residents of megacities;
• calcium and fluorine necessary for the strength of teeth, nails, beauty of hair - regular consumption of seafood will ensure a sufficient level of these substances;
• Women appreciate squid for high content of vitamins B, PP, C and Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats supporting youthful skin.

Squids are caught in the open sea, that is, in their natural habitat. So far, there is not a single farm where squids are grown for sale, which means that there are definitely no growth stimulants and antibiotics in the carcasses, which can not be said about beef or pork. For this reason, doctors often advise expectant mothers to replace purchased meat with squid in order to avoid possible risks.

The only factor against the consumption of seafood can only be individual intolerance - in the event of an allergic reaction, the consequences can be very unpleasant.

How to choose?

Everyone who has ever tried to cook squid on their own has faced the need to peel carcasses - it can be difficult for beginners to cope with this task. Therefore, many later when buying prefer already peeled shellfish. You shouldn't do this for one simple reason: on an industrial scale, cleaning is carried out by soaking in liquids that corrode the skin, the composition of which manufacturers do not like to talk about. Ordinary gutted carcasses are not only more useful, it is easier to determine the quality of the product by their appearance:

• The top film is not monophonic, it has spots and stains, the color varies from pink to purple. Yellow or gray shades indicate staleness;
• Frozen carcasses should be easy to separate from each other if they stuck together in a lump - the product has already been thawed;
• Fresh clams are elastic, dense to the touch. Skin without cuts;
• White young squid meat, and with age acquires a yellow tint;
• Take a close look original packaging for damage, immediately put aside a torn package, you can’t pay for such a product. Pay attention to the production date and expiration date.

More small individuals have a mild taste, so you should not chase large squids - they are usually just older than their small counterparts.

How to cook?

It is customary to cook squids very quickly so that they remained soft, did not acquire a "rubber" texture.

We offer two ways to cook squid: in both cases, the meat will turn out soft and tender.

Method No1, with boiling

Stock up on a deep saucepan, a watch, a slotted spoon. Squid carcasses must be completely thawed in advance at room temperature, rinsed with running cold water. Next, focus on step-by-step photos:

	Fill the pot halfway with water put on fire. Add salt to taste and wait boiling;
	Into boiling water lay out the squid, cook them until turn white. The cooking time will not take more than 2 minutes - during this time the skin on the carcasses will curl up, they will acquire a milky hue and swell, become elastic;

If you have squids with heads and tentacles, then first you need to get rid of all inedible parts.

ToshiyukiIMAI/Flickr.com

Take the squid carcass in one hand, grab the head near the eyes with the other. Gently pull - along with the head and tentacles, you will remove part of the insides. The rest can be removed when you remove the skin.

The tentacles are usually thrown away with the head, but they can be used. To do this, cut them off near the eyes. Be sure to remove the squid mouth at the same time - it is hard, hiding among the tentacles.

But usually you don't have to deal with it all. In stores, as a rule, they sell frozen squid in a semi-cut form: without heads and tentacles.

Carcasses (biologists would say - a mantle) are covered with a red-white film, which is troublesome and long to clean with a knife.

To quickly clean the squids, they need to be doused with boiling water, held in hot water for about a minute and rinsed under running water. Some housewives treat carcasses like pasta: pour boiling water in a colander and immediately turn on cold water.

Under the influence of high temperature, the skin will easily and quickly come off the carcass. You will only have to remove its residues when washing. Further, the squid can be cut lengthwise to remove the chitinous plate and entrails.

But you can not break the cylindrical shape of the mantle: the insides and the chitinous plate are easily removed with your fingers. Whole squid can be stuffed or cut into rings.

Method 1. "Cold start"

Place the cleaned squids in a pot of cold water. Put the dishes on the stove and turn on medium heat. When the water warms up, salt a little, and when it boils, immediately turn it off and catch the carcasses.

Like many other seafood, squid do not tolerate heat treatment well. If the clam is cooked for a long time, the meat will be tough, like a rubber sole.

The main secret of cooking squid is not to overcook.

It is important not to miss the moment of boiling. You literally have to stay away from the pan.

Method 2. Boiling in hot water

Bring lightly salted water to a boil. When the first bubbles appear, start the squid. Boiling will stop for a while, and as soon as it resumes, you must immediately turn it off.

Here, too, it is very important not to overexpose the meat in boiling water.

Method 3. Filling with boiling water

Many consider this method the most correct and argue that squids prepared in this way are the most tender and delicious.

You need to pour three times. The first time is considered when you pour boiling water over the squid to get rid of the skin.

The second time you need to leave the peeled clams in boiling water for one minute. After that, rinse the carcasses with water and boil the kettle again. After the third filling (holding time is also 60 seconds) and washing, the squids are ready for use. Salt can be added to the bowl with each pour.

Some housewives immediately cut or stuff them. Others remove the still transparent film from the carcasses.

Method 4. Combined

The highlight of this method is that squids are cooked immediately. The skinning step is combined with the boiling process.

Salt the boiling water: about 1 tablespoon per 3 liters of water. Put defrosted squid in it. You will see how the mantles of the mollusks become voluminous and a red-white film comes off them.

Wait until the interrupted boiling resumes, and note 1.5–2.5 minutes. Boil squids at a vigorous boil, without covering with a lid. After the specified time, the pan must be removed from the heat and covered with a lid.

Let the squids cool for 10-15 minutes. After that, rinse them under running water, remove the remnants of the skin, the insides and the chord plate.

Alternatively, you can immediately put the carcasses in a bowl of cold water, thereby stopping the heat treatment.

Boiled squid can be used in salads, fried in batter rings, stuffed with various fillings.

The described methods of cooking squid are very simple and take a minimum of time. Try all four to understand which squid is the most tender for your taste.

Do you know other secrets of cooking squid? Share in the comments.