Seafood of the Week - Squid

European squid

Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles. Squid are strong swimmers and certain species can "fly" for short distances out of the water.







Squid have differentiated from their ancestral molluscs such that the body plan has been condensed antero-posteriorly and extended dorso-ventrally. What before may have been the foot of the ancestor is modified into a complex set of tentacles and highly developed sense organs, including advanced eyes similar to those of vertebrates.
The ancestral shell has been lost, with only an internal gladius, or pen, remaining. The pen is a feather-shaped internal structure that supports the squid's mantle and serves as a site for muscle attachment. It is made of a chitin-like material.







The main body mass is enclosed in the mantle, which has a swimming fin along each side. These fins, unlike in other marine organisms, are not the main source of locomotion in most species.
The skin is covered in chromatophores, which enable the squid to change color to suit its surroundings, making it practically invisible. The underside is also almost always lighter than the topside, to provide camouflage from both prey and predator.
Under the body are openings to the mantle cavity, which contains the gills (ctenidia) and openings to the excretory and reproductive systems. At the front of the mantle cavity lies the siphon, which the squid uses for locomotion via precise jet propulsion. In this form of locomotion, water is sucked into the mantle cavity and expelled out of the siphon in a fast, strong jet. The direction of the siphon can be changed, to suit the direction of travel.
Inside the mantle cavity, beyond the siphon, lies the visceral mass, which is covered by a thin, membranous epidermis. Under this are all the major internal organs.







The majority are no more than 60 cm (24 in) long, although the giant squid may reach 13 metres (43 ft).
In 1978, sharp, curved claws on the suction cups of squid tentacles cut up the rubber coating on the hull of the USS Stein. The size suggested the largest squid known at the time.
In 2003, a large specimen of an abundant[10] but poorly understood species, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni (the colossal squid), was discovered. This species may grow to 14 m (46 ft) in length, making it the largest invertebrate. Squid have the largest eyes in the animal kingdom. The kraken is a legendary tentacled monster possibly based on sightings of real giant squid.
In February 2007, a New Zealand fishing vessel caught a colossal squid weighing 495 kg (1,091 lb) and measuring around 10 m (33 ft) off the coast of Antarctica. This specimen represents the largest cephalopod to ever be scientifically documented.







According to the FAO, the cephalopod catch for 2002 was 3,173,272 tonnes (6.995867×109 lb). Of this, 2,189,206 tons, or 75.8 percent, was squid. The following table lists the squid species fishery catches which exceeded 10,000 tonnes (22,000,000 lb) in 2002.

Fried calamari: breaded, deep-fried squid

Many species are popular as food in cuisines as diverse as Chinese, Greek, Turkish, English, American, Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, and Filipino.
In English-speaking countries, squid as food is often marketed using the Italian word calamari. Squid are found abundantly in certain areas, and provide large catches for fisheries. The body can be stuffed whole, cut into flat pieces, or sliced into rings. The arms, tentacles, and ink are also edible; in fact, the only parts not eaten are the beak and gladius (pen). Squid is a good food source for zinc and manganese, and high in copper, selenium, vitamin B12, and riboflavin.






Marinated Calamari


Ingredients:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 medium Squid, use the hoods sliced into rings
1 cup 2% Milk
1 Garlic Cloves or 1 use bottled Minced Garlic
1 pinch Sea Salt
1 pinch Ground Black Pepper
1 pinch Smoked Paprika
1/2 cup Flour



Directions:

1 Slcie the squid into rings and place in a small mixing bowl.
2 Cover the squid with milk (use more or less as required. Add garlic and season with salt,  pepper, and paprika. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours (or at least overnight).
3 Drain the calamari and discard the milk. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
4 Toss calamari in flour. I use a large plastic bag to do this.
5 Deep fry until golden. Serve hot.
6 Do not overcook the calamari as it may toughen.
7 NOTE: Cooking time does not include overnight marination time.