The gifts of the seas and oceans have confidently entered our lives for a long time and have taken a special place in our menu. Frankly, more often they still appear on the holiday table, but probably not a single family can do without sea animals these days. Many fans of variety in food also have their own, “hard-won” recipes for how to cook frozen squid, mussels or, say, octopus. But some people encounter them for the first time, and for such people this is our article.
Cleaning correctly
Let's start with how exactly ocean inhabitants get to our table. Since not all cities and villages are surrounded by salty waters, the gifts of the oceans are delivered to us, naturally, in frozen form, otherwise they simply would not have reached us. It is worth considering that when purchasing the same squid, you need to pay attention to their preliminary preparation. If they are already cut, you are saved from some extra work. If not, you'll have to clean the frozen squid before you cook it. First of all, the skin of these marine animals is removed. Then the side growths, similar to wings, are cut off, which will also need to be cleaned. From the inside of the carcass, transparent “inserts” of chitin are removed - and your squid is ready for further manipulation.
What are the benefits of squid?
Eating seafood is beneficial because it contains many vitamins and minerals necessary for the body, including folic acid, manganese, iron, calcium and vitamin C. The beneficial properties of squid cannot be underestimated, so doctors recommend it even to those who are on a diet. Here's what this product does:
- helps absorb iron. For example, 85 grams contains about 90% of the daily requirement of copper, which plays an important role in the metabolism and storage of iron, which means it is involved in the process of formation of red blood cells. It is worth noting that copper deficiency in the body can provoke 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 developing various types of heart disease due to a large amount 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 the zinc contained in the composition;
- promotes the formation of healthy, strong teeth and bones, because meat is saturated with mineral phosphorus.
Cooking correctly
Most recipes that describe how to cook frozen squid (for salad in particular) require boiling the carcasses. And here the recommendations vary. For example, many people believe that the product does not even need to be defrosted - just put it in salted boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Readiness is determined by the white color that the squid acquires.
Other chefs advise that before cooking frozen squid, defrost them under natural conditions, without resorting to hot water or a microwave. Then the whitish film is removed from the carcasses under water and they are put into boiling water for the same time. And there is another opinion: the prepared product is immersed in boiling water, covered with a lid and immediately turned off the heat. Moreover, in a closed container, the squids are left under the lid for about ten minutes. It is believed that in this case, the gradually cooling water simultaneously prevents them from being digested and brings them to the desired condition. So it's up to you to choose how to cook frozen squid. You can try all three cooking methods and decide which one suits you best.
How to properly cook squid so that it is soft and tender
Some people prefer to buy fully prepared carcasses - peeled and boiled. But, as a rule, they taste rubbery, so you shouldn’t add them to the salad. This will only ruin the whole dish. It’s better to spend a little time and boil it yourself, especially since it’s not difficult.
Firstly, small squid are best suited for salads. They will make the most delicious salad.
To easily clean, you need to pour boiling water over them for 20-30 seconds, and then quickly transfer them to a bowl of cold water. Due to temperature changes, the film can be easily removed by hand. You can additionally scrape it with a knife.
After cleaning the squid, you can begin the cooking process: for this, take any suitable pan that will fit all the carcasses, add water and bring to a boil. Salt and other spices are added to the water to taste.
After boiling, you can place the completely cleaned carcasses into the pan and cook them for no more than two minutes.
The cooking time depends on how large the carcasses are - for small ones, just cook for a minute. The cooking temperature should be maximum.
After this process, the water from the pan must be drained immediately so that the squid remains soft.
There is an even simpler method: after defrosting the squid, you need to pour boiling water over the carcasses and immediately clean them properly. Next, the purified ingredients for the dish need to be poured with boiling water again and left for 8-10 minutes.
There is no need to cook, this time is enough to cook the carcasses, and they definitely will not become tough, as often happens when cooking on the stove.
The main rule when cooking these seafood is not to overcook. Squids do not like long heat treatment, because of this their meat becomes rubbery.
We fry correctly
There are interesting and varied ways to cook frozen squid carcasses by frying. There is also debate here about whether they need to be defrosted first. However, most of the authors are still inclined to do what is necessary. But there are no arguments about the methods: everyone is inclined to believe that the heat should be medium, the lid on the frying pan should be removed, and the frying time should be five minutes. If you bought not whole animals, but their rings, then the frying time is reduced to 3-4 minutes (depending on the thickness of the pieces).
Stuffed squid 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.
Housewives who want to feed their household delicious food or serve a real delicacy on the holiday table should pay attention to this recipe with photos. Below is a detailed description of how to cook a squid carcass in the oven, stuffing it with a mixture of eggs, chicken fillet and mushrooms
When preparing, remember that seafood is capricious - it should not be subjected to prolonged heat treatment.
- 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.
- Cut the mushrooms into small slices of medium thickness and fry in a frying pan.
- 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.
- Cut the boiled chicken breast into not too large cubes, as well as the eggs.
- 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.
- Place the filling into the cleaned boiled carcasses.
- 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.
- 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.
- If desired, serve soy sauce along with the dish.
Sea creatures in salads
If you know how to properly cook frozen squid and follow these rules correctly, you can create an abyss of delicious dishes. The most common are salads with their “participation”. And it’s not surprising: these animals combine to taste with many products and add piquancy and sophistication to the final dish. One of the most notable options is with crab sticks. For half a kilo of squid you will need 240 g of sticks and 300 g of lean and soft ham. Cooked squid and meat-sausage should be chopped into strips, and the crab component into cubes. Season with salt, mayonnaise and pepper - it turns out to be a ceremonial dish. And if you replace the sticks with natural crabs, it will be much more expensive, but also much tastier.
There is also an interesting way to prepare frozen squid fillet and a salad from it. A quarter kilogram of the base will require three eggs, two sour apples, 50 g of cheese, an onion and mayonnaise for dressing. Eggs and peeled apples are rubbed (medium, not finely or coarsely), the onion is cut into half rings, the squid is cut into cubes. Everything is mixed, poured with mayonnaise, and sprinkled with grated cheese on top. Tasty, juicy and beautiful!
Unusual and tasty
There are also ideas on how to cook cleaned frozen squid as a main dish - instead of meat or poultry. We assume that one serving contains 300 g of ocean gifts. Then they should be accompanied by half a glass of orange juice (preferably squeezed yourself), soy sauce (preferably classic, without additional flavors), butter and olive oil, lettuce and leeks. The carcasses are cut into pieces that are convenient for you personally and fried in a mixture of oils. Remember: this should not be done for long! After the allotted time, sauce and juice are poured into the frying pan, leek rings are added and the contents of the vessel are stewed for about ten minutes. Then everything is laid out on lettuce leaves - and bon appetit! If you want a side dish, rice will be just right.
How to quickly clean squid
Cleaning squid is not such a difficult task, but the first time it doesn’t always work out perfectly and lightning fast, it will take a little effort. And in the following sections we will clarify how to cook squid for salad, side dishes, marinades, etc.
In general, if you buy squid in supermarkets, they are usually already half cleaned, their heads and tentacles are removed, and at home all that remains is to remove small parts.
If you bought a whole, ungutted squid, then your task is to remove the parts that, in principle, are not eaten.
We take the clam in our hand, and with the other we hold the head approximately near the eyes. Slowly we begin to pull - and so, parts of you will be removed - the head, the probes. Remove the remaining unnecessary body parts when you get to skinning.
The limbs of the mollusk, as a rule, are not used in dishes, nor the head. But if you decide to cook the tentacles, then no one can forbid you from doing so, but there is an important point here - you need to remove the limbs right near the eyes. The mollusk's mouth is hidden in the limbs themselves - cut it out too, it will be tough.
The body of the mollusk is covered with a pinkish coating, which is sometimes difficult to remove.
And yes, not everyone can clean a shellfish by removing the entire top skin.
So that you want it quickly and almost with lightning speed, there are a few life hacks: pour hot water over the carcass, let it lie in this cool water for about a minute, and then immediately rinse it with tap water. Some, for example, do it simpler: they throw the squid into a sieve, pour in boiling water and immediately pour cold water from the tap on it.
Thus, due to jumps in sharp liquidus, the skin very quickly comes off on its own. Sometimes small pieces of skin remain, but this is not a problem, it will easily come off when you wash the carcass. Next, we cut the carcass lengthwise to remove tripe and hard cartilage.
Or you can stuff it
No less interesting is the way to deliciously cook frozen squid by stuffing it. The main thing here is not to damage them when cleaning carcasses. Then they are boiled - the way you like. A couple of onions are finely chopped, a large carrot is grated, and they are fried together. Add chopped pickled mushrooms (100 g) and three chopped eggs to the vegetables. All components are mixed and seasoned with mayonnaise, pepper and salt. This amount of filling is enough for 8-10 sea creatures. The resulting mixture is pushed into the squid carcasses, the edges can be chipped off with toothpicks - and invite guests to the table.
Grilled squid
Pork, lamb or beef are usually cooked over an open fire. Less often, poultry or fish go on the grill. But if you know how to prepare seafood for the process, you can also bake it successfully. For squid you need to make a special marinade, which includes vegetable oil (we give preference to olive oil), two cloves of garlic, a teaspoon of ground paprika, a little sea salt and a few sprigs of thyme. All this is mixed, the squids themselves are cleaned, washed and dried, after which they are coated with marinade, placed in a plastic bag or wrapped in cling film and set aside to marinate for at least half an hour. If you continue to cook the carcasses over an open fire, we recommend using a grate and pre-lubricating it with vegetable oil. If you plan to prepare them at home, bake them in the oven for 10 minutes on each side. When serving squids, sprinkle them with lemon juice and sprinkle with herbs.
Beer snack
Those who love a foamy drink do not neglect the spicy and salty accompanying additives. There may be crackers, thinly sliced smoked pork ears, and chips... And there may also be squid! All that remains is to prepare a pinch of cardamom and coriander, a tablespoon of oyster sauce and four soy sauce, 2 chili peppers (if you like it very hot, you can increase the number of peppers, but be careful not to overdo it) and the squid itself - seven hundred grams. To make the marinade, pour a little oil into a heated frying pan and add spices. Squids cut into small pieces are poured with two sauces, sprinkled with fried seasonings and marinated in all this for half an hour. Then take a deep frying pan (ideally a wok), add half a glass of vegetable oil and fry the future appetizer in batches. Please note that spices may fall off the squid. If you notice this, change the oil to fresh one - overcooking the seasonings several times will give a slightly unpleasant aftertaste. Those who take the time to make such a snack claim that there is no better accompaniment to beer.
Frankly, this is not all that can be “figured out” from such fertile material. It remains only to point out a couple more tricks. Some people don’t like the fact that the squid seems to shrink after cooking. To avoid this, you can either lightly pound the carcasses on both sides, or make shallow cuts with a very sharp knife - at the same time it will look more appetizing. And as an addition to any squid dish, lemon juice or garlic cream sauce is suitable.
How to cook delicious frozen squid rings
Recipes for preparing delicious squid dishes have been known since ancient times of Ancient Rome and Greece. Seafood is considered a delicacy, so it is included in the holiday menu of Mediterranean cuisines. Squid meat is very rich in protein, which is quickly absorbed in the human body, producing light energy.
Useful tips
Culinary processing of shellfish requires additional effort and time. The best option for culinary delights is frozen squid rings. The recipe for their production is very simple: cleaned medium-sized octopus carcasses are cut into narrow rings and then dry-frozen. “How to cook them?” - you ask. Now we'll tell you.
Before you start cooking, you should find out how to cook frozen squid rings correctly
This seafood is brought to readiness very quickly, so it is important not to overheat it on the fire for longer than the allotted time. Recommended time for boiling or frying is three minutes.
No salt is added.
Dip the clam rings into rapidly boiling water or hot oil. From this moment you need to start counting time. All you have to do is leave the seafood in the dish for just a couple of minutes, and it will become tough and tasteless. If, nevertheless, an important point was missed, you should not be upset; it is better to leave the pulp to cook further for a period of up to twenty minutes.
During this time, the squid rings will restore their properties and again become tender and juicy. Unfortunately, they will be reduced in size by about half.
How to cook frozen squid rings? There are many options. Squid rings are used in many recipes. In addition, boiled or fried octopus can also be an independent dish. Just add a little salt and squeeze a little lemon juice on top.
How to cook frozen squid rings combined with avocado? Now we'll tell you.
"Avocado salad with squid"
Avocado is a wonderful fruit, rich in vegetable fats, microelements, and very nutritious. It differs from most fruits in that it is completely unsweetened, so it is usually used in cooking as a vegetable. It is consumed only in its raw form.
To prepare the salad, you should choose ripe fruits that are firm but not hard to the touch.
Required ingredients:
- canned corn – 100 grams;
- medium avocado – 1 pc.;
- squid rings – 200 grams;
- mayonnaise 67% – 2 spoons.
"Spicy squid appetizer"
Required ingredients:
- squid rings – 500 grams;
- sweet pepper – 1 pc.;
- carrots, onions - one medium piece each;
- chili pepper – 1 pod;
- garlic – 3 cloves;
- soy sauce – 50 grams;
- ground black pepper;
- honey – 1 spoon;
- tomato paste – 3 tablespoons;
- sesame oil – 3 tablespoons.
Cooking process
Chop the prepared onion into thin strips. Chop the peppers and carrots the same way. Garlic cloves can be crushed using a garlic clove.
Fry each vegetable for two minutes in strict sequence in very hot oil. The carrots go into the pan first, followed by the onions, then the bell peppers. Chili and garlic are added last.
Pour tomato paste, sauce, honey and a little warm water into the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with ground pepper and simmer for about ten minutes.
The last ingredient is squid rings. Simmer the seafood over high heat, stirring, for no more than two minutes.
The finished dish should be kept in the refrigerator for at least twelve hours. The taste of the snack is sharp and piquant.
Another way to cook frozen squid rings? You can do this in an original way. We will tell you how to prepare soup with seafood and legumes.
"Squid Soup"
Required ingredients:
- frozen squid rings – 1 kg;
- peas – 200 grams;
- beans – 100 grams;
- thin vermicelli – 400 grams;
- tomato paste – 100 grams;
- olive oil – 100 grams;
- garlic clove – 6 pcs.;
- cumin, salt - to taste.
