Cuttlefish belongs to the category of cephalopodsmollusks. Unlike her relatives - squid or octopus - she has an ink bag. At the moment of danger, the cuttlefish releases a thick brown liquid from it, under the veil of which it hides. This mollusk is also called the “chameleon of the ocean”, because it can not only change the skin color, but even its structure itself. Moreover, such metamorphosis cuttlefish makes in just a couple of seconds. In this regard, the clam rarely gets into the catch of fishermen and, as a result, rarely found in the menu of restaurants. But if you are lucky enough to become the owner of this delicious exotic, let's think about what to cook from cuttlefish.
Useful properties and use in cooking
Let's start in order.Shellfish, and cuttlefish in particular, are very good for health. It is not only tasty, but also a dietary product. On the beneficial properties of cuttlefish surpasses meat and even fish, but the calories in it are much less. It is rich in vitamins, especially near B, which promotes hair growth and strong nails. It also contains minerals necessary for health: selenium, phosphorus, iodine, copper, zinc, potassium and iron.
Like the high-class fish (sturgeon, salmon),This mollusk contains valuable omega-3 and 6 amino acids. And its fat is an antibiotic that nature has created, that is, it does not give side effects. Cuttlefish recipes are often found in Mediterranean and Southeast Asian cuisines. Inks from this shellfish dye rice for the Spanish paella and Italian pasta.
Product selection
In our country, cuttlefish on the shelvessupermarkets are rarely found. Yes, and then they are sold in frozen form. But, let's say, you have arrived at the Mediterranean market and are asking the price of fish in cuttlefish series. Which one to choose?
The cuttlefish is not a strawberry, the principle does not work here."The more, the tastier." On the contrary, the most highly valued are dwarf mollusks, weighing up to 20 g. A very large specimen is suitable only for an exhibit in a museum, because, no matter how hard you try, its meat will remain tough and tasteless.
Choose a purchase based on what dishes fromcuttlefish we are going to cook. Dwarfs are deep-fried and made into skewers, salads and snacks. Small cuttlefish are valued for their special nutty flavor, which disappears in larger specimens. Medium-sized mollusks (300-600 g) are used in main dishes. They are fried, boiled, and in Japan they even eat raw.
What to do at the beginning
Before you cook the cuttlefish, you need itrinse under cold water and remove the only bone that runs across the back. Behind the clam is a bag. Squeeze ink onto the plate. They will be needed later for the sauce, as they add spice to the dish. Then carefully remove the ink bag. Also throw away the insides, eyes and mouth opening. If you intend to boil the cuttlefish, you must first remove the skin, and when roasting or stewing, the skin is best left - the taste of the dish will be more saturated.
How to prepare a frozen product
The cuttlefish shops are often sold already.processed, and you do not have to bother with the removal of the bag and peeling. However, there are some small tricks here. How to cook frozen cuttlefish? In no case do not rush the event by dropping the bag in hot water or sending it in the microwave. Let the mollusks thaw at room temperature or even better in cold water. Since we are not Japanese, we will not eat raw cuttlefish. The Thais of these cephalopods, among other culinary methods, are also dried, dried and smoked. We confine ourselves to three traditional methods: boiling, frying, and stewing.
Boiled clam
Now that we have onlylittle body with ten tentacles, you can think about how to cook the cuttlefish. It is boiled for salads and snacks, and soups are made from the broth. Pour water into a saucepan, salt it and put on medium heat. We put the cuttlefish into the boiling water with a whole carcass and boil it. What time is it? It depends on the size of the mollusk. Large specimens need a long heat treatment - about half an hour. Smaller brewed and for 15-20 minutes. Dwarf cuttlefish are rarely boiled, but if you want to decorate a salad with them, they will be ready after 10 minutes of boiling water. In the water where mollusks are boiled, you can put spices and herbs, onions in the husk. Finished cuttlefish should fold in a colander and dry.
But this is only half the battle.How to cook cuttlefish to make it tasty? Cut the carcass into thin strips, sprinkle with lemon juice and olive oil, garnish with greens. As a garnish, boiled cuttlefish can be served with rice or pasta filled with ink. They are added to the dough, if you yourself knead the noodles.
For paella ink mixed with wine pouredin the pan, add a variety of vegetables to taste (tomatoes, sweet peppers, onions, garlic) and cuttlefish. Then they pour out the rice and keep it on low heat until the liquid is completely evaporated.
How to cook stew cuttlefish
In the Mediterranean, it is customary to extinguish mollusks inwhite wine. In a skillet in olive oil, fry the onion until golden. Add a pound of cut into pieces of cuttlefish (you can boil them beforehand until half cooked). Pour half a glass of white wine. Cut a pound of tomatoes into slices, mix with chopped bunch of parsley and a clove of garlic, salt to taste, cover with lid and stew for about an hour.
Fried Cuttlefish
В обжаривании головоногих есть свои секреты.You need to properly arrange them in a frying pan. First, heat the vegetable oil, in which we pre-fry a little onion and garlic. Then put the cuttlefish tentacles up. When the clam turns yellow, we turn it over.
Portugal has its favorite fried recipecuttlefish At the beginning of the process prepare the marinade. Pour into a plate 3 spoons of soy sauce and a spoon of butter. Sprinkle with aromatic herbs to taste - dry or fresh, mix. In the resulting marinade, cuttlefish (about half a kilogram) should be stewed for 30 minutes. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet, lay out the mollusks cut into thick strips and fry over medium heat for about 7 minutes.
Cuttlefish baby
They look like spiders - these delicious clams,who are valued above the rest. How to cook little cuttlefish? There are many recipes. For the laziest: roll crumbs in flour, and send to the frying pan to roast in olive oil.
Labor more hard-working housewives pays off handsomelyif you cook a batter for dwarf cuttlefish: shake up the salted egg with water, add flour to make a batter. You can cook it with the addition of beer or soda. This is a great appetizer, but it can also be a main course if you serve it with rice.
