Updated: 1 July, 2024 @ 16:16
If you’ve never cooked Squid before then rush down to your fishmonger now and buy one. Then come back here and take a look at some wonderful Squid recipes, many of which are super quick, super easy, and super delicious.
Strange squid
Squid is a strange one. Many people enjoy a starter of calamari. Indeed, you’ll find calamari on the menus of some of the country’s most popular pub-restaurant chains. Yet, it seems very few people link calamari to Squid, and even fewer would have a go at cooking Squid themselves.
That’s a shame. Squid is cheap and quite a good source of omega-3 oils. It’s also easy to prepare – after a couple of goes. Just don’t forget to remove the Squid’s strange, parrot-like beak. This video will help you conquer Squid preparation.
Update: Squid and The MCS red rating
In October 2021, Squid was added to the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) Fish to Avoid red list. The MCS cites a complete lack of Squid fishery management, and therefore no evidence of numbers, as the reasoning behind the move.
The decision to move Squid to the red list is evidently a cautionary one – a ‘better to be safe than sorry’ approach. The problem is, until scientific research is conducted into Squid numbers in our waters, we’ll have no way of knowing the true picture.
Would it not make more sense to move Squid to the red list pending the results of a scientific survey?
The Fish Face team will continue to monitor and report on the situation as it develops.
Squid recipes
There are some fantastic Squid recipes out there. Chargrilled Squid with courgettes, white beans and lemon dressing from Marcus Wareing, New Classics is a good place to start. Another cracker is Spice Salted Squid from the beautiful Persiana, by Sabrina Ghayour.
We also have a summer sizzler in the form of Calamari souvlaki from Rick Stein’s Long Weekend. Or how about stuffed Squid, Corsican style from Alan Davidson’s, Mediterranean Seafood.
You can read our review of Alan Davidson’s Mediterranean Seafood here.
For me, the ultimate Squid cookery book is the increasingly rare, The International Squid Cookbook, by Isaac Cronin. What. A. Book. If you can get hold of this book, then buy it. It’s worth seeing if it’s still available on Amazon.
Our review of The International Squid Cookbook is here.
Buying and storage
Avoid any Squid that is showing signs of pinkness. Under the skin of a fresh Squid the flesh should be pure white.
Prepare your Squid as soon as you can, even if you’re not cooking it until later in the day. Once prepared, I normally marinate the Squid in a little olive and salt, whack into a sealable container and place on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Remember to bring the Squid back to room temperature before cooking.
Seasonality
Avoid Squid from December to May – it’s breeding season.
Sustainability
The latest Marine Conservation Society Good Fish Guide rating for Squid can be found here.