![\"Moorish](\"http:\/\/dsweb.jessicaotoole.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Squid-Final.jpg\")
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It was a cold and drizzly Irish morning at the Cavan Farmers Market. Making my usual rounds I took a mental note of everything on offer– must get a couple of \u00e9clairs from The Mason\u2019s Apron to bring home for breakfast, don\u2019t forget to grab some eggs, the kale is looking good today\u2014I saw the fishmonger was showing the fresh catch to another customer and something unusual caught my eye. I had never seen a whole squid, but there they were, a pile of ink-stained bodies and tangled tentacles. I had bought squid many times in the American grocery store, Whole Foods, but they were already cleaned and portioned. I was used to seeing neat rows of wingless calamari bodies, all exactly the same size, displayed over a mountain of pristine crushed ice. It was all so sterile, those neatly organized remnants of such weird and wonderful creatures.<\/p>\n
Standing there in the rain looking at the squid, whose bulging eyes stared back at me blankly, I felt a mix of wonder and trepidation \u2013 how? How do you even approach cooking with these little monsters? I nervously approached the fishmonger, \u201cHello, about the squid, is there ink involved?\u201d His answer was yes. A line of customers was forming behind me. \u201cWell, I\u2019ve never cooked with whole squid before, I think I\u2019ll give it a try,\u201d I said. \u201cIs it very difficult?\u201d He answered no and I could tell people were getting impatient for me to make a decision and move on. Feeling very brave, I quickly asked for three squid (before I had a chance to change my mind). The woman in line next to me belted out, \u201cThere\u2019s your night gone!\u201d referring to the mess and frustration that surely awaited me at home. I smiled meekly and headed home with my catch of the day.<\/p>\n
At home I knew just where to look for squid guidance, The River Cottage Fish Book<\/span><\/a><\/span> by Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and Nick Fisher. The book provides step-by-step instructions and photos for the whole process. Hugh writes, \u201c\u2026you may find yourself freaked out by the prospect of getting to grips with their weird anatomy. Don\u2019t worry: they may look as if they\u2019ll be trouble but in fact they are amazingly easy to clean.\u201d You know what? He\u2019s right!<\/p>\n Below you\u2019ll find a step-by-step tutorial on How-To Prepare Squid<\/strong>, but first let\u2019s talk about how-to cook it.<\/p>\n Squid is best cooked quickly over high heat or simmered low and slow \u2013 anything in between brings out its inherent rubbery texture. Inspired by Jamie Oliver\u2019s Roasted Concertina Squid with Grilled Leeks and Warm Chorizo Dressing<\/span><\/a><\/span>, I opted for a quick blast in a roaring hot oven. The \u201cconcertina\u201d effect is created by sliding the mantle over a chef\u2019s knife and using another knife to cut slits in the flesh without going all the way through the other side (see the very last photo in the squid tutorial). This allows the heat into the flesh more quickly and provides groves for soaking up a flavorful sauce. I\u2019ve cooked Jamie\u2019s recipe before (it\u2019s fantastic), but on this particular day I didn\u2019t have any chorizo. The pairing of sweet squid and smoked paprika inspired me to create my own dish, Moorish Roast Squid with Smoky Tomatoes and Saffron Couscous<\/em>. This dish is a mix of Spanish and Middle Eastern flavors, made with beautiful Irish farmers market tomatoes and Swiss chard plus a sprig of rosemary from my herb garden.<\/p>\n Serves 2<\/em><\/p>\n Heat the oven to the hottest setting. Prepare the concertina squid by placing your chef\u2019s knife flat inside the body and using another knife to cut slits in the flesh, as if you are making rings. This technique allows you to cut all the way through one side of the flesh, while the other side is untouched. Toss the squid in 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with a pinch of sea salt, and then set aside.<\/p>\n Prepare the couscous. Place the couscous in a medium-sized heat proof bowl. Pour 1 \u00bc cup water into a small saucepan and add the saffron threads. Bring to a boil and pour the water over the couscous, and cover the bowl with a plate to allow the couscous to steam. Proceed with the recipe; the couscous will be ready in 10 minutes. Just before serving, fluff the cooked couscous with a fork and season with a couple pinches sea salt.<\/p>\n While the couscous steams, prepare the rest of the dish. Place a large high-sided pan (one that is oven safe) on the stove top and turn the heat to medium. Pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves. Saut\u00e9 the ingredients for one minute, stirring frequently. Prepare the tomatoes by slicing larger ones in half, but leave the small ones whole for a variety of textures. Add the tomatoes to the pan and sprinkle over the smoked paprika, along with a pinch of sea salt. Saut\u00e9 the tomatoes for a couple of minutes, then add the squid and the rest of the rosemary leaves. Transfer the skillet to the top rack of the oven. Roast the squid till cooked through, about five minutes. The flesh will firm up and brown slightly.<\/p>\n Cook the Swiss chard while the squid roasts in the oven. Heat a large saut\u00e9 pan over medium-high with a tablespoon of olive oil. Slice the Swiss chard into ribbons and toss in the pan with a pinch of sea salt. Cook the leaves, stirring occasionally, until just wilted and tender. This will only take about 5 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.<\/p>\n When the squid are cooked through, remove the pan from the oven and pluck out the squid bodies, setting them aside for a moment. Pour the sherry vinegar over the tomatoes and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Return the squid bodies to the pan, along with the saut\u00e9ed Swiss chard leaves. Serve warm over the couscous. You will have more couscous than you need, so refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy them the next day tossed in a salad or soup.<\/p>\n The first thing you\u2019ve got to do is separate the head and tentacles from the mantle (body). Take hold of the head by wrapping your fingers under the eyes and use your other hand to grasp the body. Pull the head apart from the body (all the entrails will be attached to the head).<\/p>\n Locate the quill, a long, slender, translucent shell easily pulled from the body with your fingers. Discard it and set the body aside.<\/p>\n Turn your attention to the head and tentacles. If you would like to try and save the ink (which can be used to add color to sauces, risotto or fresh pasta dough), find the small, narrow ink sac (it will be a dark bluish-black color). Carefully cut the ink sac open over a bowl and press out the ink.<\/p>\n Now it\u2019s time to remove the hard, inedible beak from the head. Place your fingers in front of the eyes and push the hard flesh ball (feels like a small marble) backward through the tentacles. You will feel it pop through, then take a pair of scissors and cut off the ring of tentacles just below the eyes. Pull the hard ball from the tentacles and discard it. Rinse the tentacles and set them aside for cooking.<\/p>\n Pick up the body and remove the wings by pulling them back towards each other. The River Cottage Fish Book <\/span><\/a><\/span>\u00a0likens it to pulling someone\u2019s elbows behind their back. The wings will tear off the body. If you\u2019re working with a large squid (for the low and slow cooking method) it\u2019s worth cleaning the wings, trimming and discarding the thick, cartilaginous piece, and tossing them into the pot. I found there wasn\u2019t much wing left after trimming the small squid, nothing worth keeping.<\/p>\n Peel the pink membrane from the body and rinse it well. The book recommends turning the mantle cone inside out for two reasons: you can rinse the inside clean of all entrails and if you\u2019re planning to cut squid rings they will hold their shape (rather than collapsing on themselves, as they would if you didn\u2019t turn the body inside out). I found this takes a bit of practice, but gets easier once you get the hang of it. The book suggests using the handle of a wooden spoon to \u201cpush the pointed end of the body in on itself.\u201d I found it easier to use my fingers, but give it a try and you\u2019ll figure out what works best for you.<\/p>\n Finally, rinse the squid and either store the bodies and tentacles (in the coolest part of the fridge for up to a couple of days) or carry on with your recipe.<\/p>\n The last photo shows how to make the \u201cconcertina\u201d effect I learned from Jamie Oliver: slide the mantle over a chef\u2019s knife and use another knife to cut slits in the flesh without going all the way through the other side.<\/p>\n Braised Squid Stuffed with Chorizo and Rice<\/span><\/a><\/span> from The River Cottage Fish Book<\/span><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n Frito Misto Amalfitano<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n![\"Moorish](\"http:\/\/dsweb.jessicaotoole.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Squid-Skillet.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Ingredients](\"http:\/\/dsweb.jessicaotoole.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Squid-Ingredients.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMoorish Roast Squid with Smoky Tomatoes and Saffron Couscous<\/h2>\n
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How-To Prepare Whole Squid<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n![\"How-To](\"http:\/\/dsweb.jessicaotoole.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Squid-Collage-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nOther squid recipes to try:<\/h3>\n