How to cook frozen squid properly?

The gifts of the seas and oceans have entered the life of our society for a long time and have taken a special place in our menu. To admit, more often they nevertheless appear on a celebratory table, however absolutely without sea animals now does not manage, probably, any family. Many fans of diversity in food have their own "well-received" recipes, like preparing frozen squid, mussels or, say, octopuses. But some face them for the first time, and for such - our article.

Correctly clean

Let's start with how the ocean inhabitants get to our table. Since the salty waters are not surrounded by all the cities and scales, the gifts of the oceans are delivered to us naturally in a frozen form, otherwise they simply would not reach us. It is worth considering that when buying the same squid, you need to pay attention to their preliminary training. If they are already finished, you are spared some extra work. If not - before you prepare frozen squid, you will have to clean them. First of all, the skin is removed from these marine animals . Then the lateral growths, similar to the wings, are cut off, which will also have to be cleaned. From the inside of the carcass transparent "insertions" from chitin are extracted - and your squid is ready for further manipulation.

Correctly cook

In most recipes describing how to prepare frozen squid (for a salad in particular), you need to boil the carcasses. And here the recommendations vary. For example, many believe that the product does not even need to be thawed - just put it in the boiled water for 3 to 5 minutes. Readiness is determined by the white color that the squid acquires.

Other cooks are advised before preparing frozen squid, they still unfreeze, and in natural conditions, without resorting to hot water or microwave. Then, under the water, a whitish film from the carcasses is scraped off and they go to boiling water at the same time. And there is one more opinion: the prepared product is lowered into boiling water, covered with a lid and immediately switched off the fire. And in sealed vessels squid left under the lid for ten minutes. It is believed that while gradually cooling water at the same time does not allow them to digest and bring to the desired condition. So you choose how to make frozen squid. You can try all three cooking methods and decide which one suits you best.

Correctly frying

Interesting and varied ways how to prepare frozen squid carcasses by frying. Here, too, disputes are being held, whether they must be previously defrosted. However, most authors are still inclined to what is necessary. But there is no wrangling about the methods: everyone is inclined to the fact that the fire should be average, the lid on the frying pan is removed, and the frying time is five minutes. If you bought not whole animals, but their rings, the duration of frying is reduced to 3-4 minutes (depending on the thickness of the pieces).

Sea inhabitants in salads

If you know how to properly prepare frozen squid and faithfully follow these rules, you can build an abyss of delicious dishes. The most common salads with their "participation". And it is not surprising: these animals are combined with many products to taste and give the final dish piquancy and sophistication. One of the most noteworthy options is with crab sticks. Half a kilo of squid will go 240 grams of sticks and 300 g of low-fat and non-rigid ham. Welded squid and meat sausage should be shredded with straw, and the crab component - cubes. Season with salt, mayonnaise and pepper - it will be, count, the main course. And if the sticks to replace natural crabs, it will be much more expensive, but also much more delicious.

There is still an interesting way, how to cook frozen squid fillets and salad from it. A quarter of a kilogram of foundation will require "to the company" three eggs, two sour apples, 50 grams of cheese, an onion and for dressing mayonnaise. Eggs and brushed apples rub (medium, not finely and not large), the onion is cut into half-roots, squids - cubes. Everything is mixed, spilled with mayonnaise, and sprinkled with grated cheese on top. Tasty, juicy and beautiful!

Unusually and tasty

There are also ideas on how to prepare peeled frozen squid as a main dish - instead of meat or poultry. We proceed from the fact that 300 g of gifts of the oceans fall on one portion. Then half a glass of orange juice (preferably wrung out independently), soy sauce (better classic, without additional flavors), cream and olive oil, leaf lettuce and leeks should join them. The carcasses are cut into pieces that are convenient to you personally and are fried in a mixture of oils. We remember: this should not be done for long! After the set time, sauce and juice are poured into the frying pan, the ripples are added with rings and the contents of the bowl are stewed for ten minutes. Then everything is laid out on salad leaves - and a pleasant appetite! If you want a side dish - rice will be just right.

And you can stuff yourself

No less curious is the way it is delicious to cook frozen squids by stuffing. The main thing here is that when cleaning the carcasses, they will not be damaged. Then they are boiled - the way you like. A couple of bulbs are finely chopped, a large carrot is rubbed and they are fried together. Vegetables are added crushed marinated mushrooms (100 g) and three chopped eggs. All ingredients are mixed, flavored with mayonnaise, pepper and salt. This amount of filling is enough for pieces of 8-10 marine dwellers. The resulting mixture comes in squid carcasses, the edges can be pounded with toothpicks - and ask the guests to the table.

Grilled Squid

On open fire, usually cooked pork, lamb or beef. Less often a bird or fish goes to the grill. But if you know how to prepare seafood for the process, they can also be baked successfully. For squid, you need to make a special marinade, which includes vegetable oil (preference is given to the olive), two cloves of garlic, a teaspoon of ground paprika, a little sea salt and a few twigs of thyme. All this is mixed, the squid itself is cleaned, washed and dried, then smeared with marinade, put in a plastic bag or wrapped in a food film and put aside for marinating for at least half an hour. If you continue to cook carcasses on an open fire, we advise you to use the grate, and pre-lubricate it with lean oil. If it is supposed to be cooked home - bake them in the oven for 10 minutes on each side. When serving squid, sprinkle them with lemon juice and sprinkle with herbs.

Snack to beer

Those who like a foamy drink, do not neglect and sharply-salt concomitant additives. There may be crunches, thinly sliced smoked pork ears, and chips ... Or maybe squid! You will have to prepare a pinch of cardamom and coriander, a tablespoon of oyster sauce and four soy sauces, 2 chili peppers (love a very sharp one, you can increase the number of peppers, but carefully, so as not to overdo it) and the squids themselves - seven hundred grams. For the marinade, a little oil is poured into the heated frying pan, in which spices are allowed. Sliced in small pieces squid are poured with two sauces, sprinkled with toasted seasonings and marinated for half an hour in all this. Then a deep frying pan (ideally - wok) is taken, half a glass of lean oil is poured and the future snack is fried in lots. Please note that spices can crumble from squid. If you notice this, change the oil to fresh - several times the overcooked seasonings will give a slightly unpleasant aftertaste. Those who are not too lazy to make such a snack, say that there is no better accompaniment to beer.

To admit, this is not all that can be "figured out" from such a blessed material. It remains only to point out a couple more tricks. Some do not like that after the preparation of squid, as it were pulled together. To avoid this, you can either gently cut off the carcasses from both sides, or with a very sharp knife to make shallow incisions - at the same time and look more appetizing. And as a supplement to any dish of squid lemon juice or garlic creamy sauce will do.