Salt and Pepper Squid
I bought a whole squid on Friday, which I affectionately named Kraken (after some sort of European folklore involving a giant squid). Anyway, we decided to try and salt + pepper squid it.
First of all, we had to clean it - which wasn't as traumatic as I thought it could be. This was a really good link for how to clean a whole squid. You have to twist its head off, pull out its innards, chop off the tentacles just under the eyes and then pull off the speckled skin starting from its wings.
Link here for cleaning
Following that, I chopped the tentacles into about 2 inch pieces. I cut the hood down through the middle so it lies flat. Then I scored the squid in a cross hatch fashion on the INSIDE so it curls and scores up. Then cut the hood into oblong size pieces.
For the coating:
3/4 cup of tempura flour (could also use plain flour or corn flour) - I chose tempura flour because it's finer and will crisp up more
1.5 tablespoons of salt
2 table spoons of pepper
Combine dry ingredients. While squid is still wet, roll in flour. Shake off excess flour when evenly coated.
Heat oil to a high temperature in a wok. I would use peanut oil or vegetable oil - but olive oil should be fine too. The oil is hot enough so that when you put a bit of water in it spits at you or alternatively, use the Chinese method of placing the end of a wooden chopstick into the oil and there should be bubbles forming at the end. Cook until the batter is light brown (the squid requires a very quick cook). Cook in batches. Let cool and stuff into face!
Next time I did this recipe, I'd sort my pieces into like bits (tentacle ends, tentacle tops, hood pieces), so they cook for the same amount of time for each batch.
Kraken died for a good cause.
First of all, we had to clean it - which wasn't as traumatic as I thought it could be. This was a really good link for how to clean a whole squid. You have to twist its head off, pull out its innards, chop off the tentacles just under the eyes and then pull off the speckled skin starting from its wings.
Link here for cleaning
Following that, I chopped the tentacles into about 2 inch pieces. I cut the hood down through the middle so it lies flat. Then I scored the squid in a cross hatch fashion on the INSIDE so it curls and scores up. Then cut the hood into oblong size pieces.
For the coating:
3/4 cup of tempura flour (could also use plain flour or corn flour) - I chose tempura flour because it's finer and will crisp up more
1.5 tablespoons of salt
2 table spoons of pepper
Combine dry ingredients. While squid is still wet, roll in flour. Shake off excess flour when evenly coated.
Heat oil to a high temperature in a wok. I would use peanut oil or vegetable oil - but olive oil should be fine too. The oil is hot enough so that when you put a bit of water in it spits at you or alternatively, use the Chinese method of placing the end of a wooden chopstick into the oil and there should be bubbles forming at the end. Cook until the batter is light brown (the squid requires a very quick cook). Cook in batches. Let cool and stuff into face!
Next time I did this recipe, I'd sort my pieces into like bits (tentacle ends, tentacle tops, hood pieces), so they cook for the same amount of time for each batch.
Kraken died for a good cause.