Thread: And there I was, perusing the fresh seafood...

"ChattyCathy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:8UMwm.18658$[email protected]..
> ... in the fish/seafood section at one of our bigger supermarkets today.
> They had sole, yellow tail, whole baby hake (of course) and a nice big
> squid on a bed of ice.
>
> While I was deliberating what to buy, two gentlemen approached (mid- to
> late 30s?) and they also started looking at the goods on display.
>
> The one said to the other (pointing to the squid), "What's that? Fish
> guts?" The other gentleman shrugged in an 'I have no clue either'
> fashion - and then they both looked at me. So I said, "That's good
> stuff - it's squid; ya know those calamari rings they serve in
> restaurants... that's where it comes from." Both gentlemen gave me
> a 'you're kidding' look and then one of them said, "Hmph. Guess I'm
> never gonna eat calamari again." and they strolled off.
>
> Too funny. But, hey - more for me.
> --
> Cheers
> Chatty Cathy


LOL......

It takes all kinds .....

Send them home with a baby lamb...


--
Dimitri
Coming soon:
http://kitchenguide.wordpress.com.

On 2009-09-30, ChattyCathy <[email protected]> wrote:

> never gonna eat calamari again." and they strolled off.

I'm not a big squid fan and all the "calamari" I've had was like
eating sliced garden hose. The one time I had good squid, a 10"x4"
steak, I went back to the cook and ask him why it was so tender. He
told me you gotta beat the hell out of it. Is that really the key to
tender squid?

nb

On Sep 30, 11:20 am, notbob <not...@nothome.com> wrote:
> On 2009-09-30, ChattyCathy <cathy1...@mailinator.com> wrote:
>
> > never gonna eat calamari again." and they strolled off.
>
> I'm not a big squid fan and all the "calamari" I've had was like
> eating sliced garden hose. The one time I had good squid, a 10"x4"
> steak, I went back to the cook and ask him why it was so tender. He
> told me you gotta beat the hell out of it. Is that really the key to
> tender squid?
>
I think the cooking time is more important. It has to be either two
minutes or less, or more than 45 minutes. Anything in between and you
get rubber. I used to get thin (1/4 inch) squid steaks that were
scored with a crosshatch pattern and I don't know if they had been
pounded. One minute on each side in oil/butter and they were tender.
Two minutes on each side and you couldn't chew them. -aem

On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:20:28 GMT, notbob wrote:

> On 2009-09-30, ChattyCathy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> never gonna eat calamari again." and they strolled off.
>
> I'm not a big squid fan and all the "calamari" I've had was like
> eating sliced garden hose. The one time I had good squid, a 10"x4"
> steak, I went back to the cook and ask him why it was so tender. He
> told me you gotta beat the hell out of it. Is that really the key to
> tender squid?

The key to tender squid is to use small squids - under 6" bodies.
Overcooking is a concern, too, but they're more forgiving than
shrimp IMO.

Larger squid can be used if you're more careful about not
overcooking. I have some very large squid rings I'm cooking tonight
that are 3" across. They came from squid that were about a foot
long (bodies, not including tentacle extension). They will turn out
unlike garden hose. *You real-ly have to be a dolt to overcook them
to garden hose/rubber band texture.

Sounds like you've just never had properly prepared squid. Squid is
not hard to cook.

-sw

In article <8UMwm.18658$[email protected]>,
ChattyCathy <[email protected]> wrote:

> ... in the fish/seafood section at one of our bigger supermarkets today.
> They had sole, yellow tail, whole baby hake (of course) and a nice big
> squid on a bed of ice.
>
> While I was deliberating what to buy, two gentlemen approached (mid- to
> late 30s?) and they also started looking at the goods on display.
>
> The one said to the other (pointing to the squid), "What's that? Fish
> guts?" The other gentleman shrugged in an 'I have no clue either'
> fashion - and then they both looked at me. So I said, "That's good
> stuff - it's squid; ya know those calamari rings they serve in
> restaurants... that's where it comes from." Both gentlemen gave me
> a 'you're kidding' look and then one of them said, "Hmph. Guess I'm
> never gonna eat calamari again." and they strolled off.
>
> Too funny. But, hey - more for me.

I guess ignorance can be entertaining... <g>
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/home?tab=mq>
[email protected]
Subscribe: [email protected]

In article <[email protected]>,
notbob <[email protected]> wrote:

> On 2009-09-30, ChattyCathy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > never gonna eat calamari again." and they strolled off.
>
> I'm not a big squid fan and all the "calamari" I've had was like
> eating sliced garden hose. The one time I had good squid, a 10"x4"
> steak, I went back to the cook and ask him why it was so tender. He
> told me you gotta beat the hell out of it. Is that really the key to
> tender squid?
>
> nb

No, it's not over-cooking it.

Or undercooking it.

My sister and I had this discussion just a couple of weeks ago. Squid,
Octopus and beef heart. Cook them just right, they are tender. Cook them
too much, they get tough! Cook them to death and they get tender again.

I prefer the first option to preserve flavor personally.

Sis' got the flick when I sent that smoked heart over to her with the
BIL. She wanted more of it as it turned out to be so VERY tender when
she was expecting it to be like shoe leather. <G>

It's all in the technique. Check my photo albums, or tips and tricks on
the r.f.c. website for squiddie prep!
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/home?tab=mq>
[email protected]
Subscribe: [email protected]

notbob wrote:
> On 2009-09-30, ChattyCathy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> never gonna eat calamari again." and they strolled off.
>
> I'm not a big squid fan and all the "calamari" I've had was like
> eating sliced garden hose. The one time I had good squid, a 10"x4"
> steak, I went back to the cook and ask him why it was so tender. He
> told me you gotta beat the hell out of it. Is that really the key to
> tender squid?
>
> nb

I believe it is.

The first time I ever ate squid mantle/steak instead of calamari rings
was in 1982 on a trip up the California coast. We stopped at Ventana
in Big Sur for lunch and I ordered it, not having any idea what it was.
OhhmyAlex, as Barb would say, it was wonderful. Pounded very tender,
lightly seasoned and floured, and sauteed in butter with lemon juice and
herbs to finish.

Of course the setting, on a large umbrella shaded patio high up
overlooking the Pacific, helped to set the mood. The wine helped, too.

gloria p

notbob wrote:
> On 2009-09-30, ChattyCathy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> never gonna eat calamari again." and they strolled off.
>
> I'm not a big squid fan and all the "calamari" I've had was like
> eating sliced garden hose. The one time I had good squid, a 10"x4"
> steak, I went back to the cook and ask him why it was so tender. He
> told me you gotta beat the hell out of it. Is that really the key to
> tender squid?

Maybe it depends on how it is cooked. I have had it grilled, stewed and
fried and I thought that the trick was in cooking time.... 2 minutes or
20 minutes. When frying, it should be done in 2 minutes. If you cook it
longer than that it turns to rubber.

Gloria P wrote:

>
> The first time I ever ate squid mantle/steak instead of calamari rings
> was in 1982 on a trip up the California coast. We stopped at Ventana
> in Big Sur for lunch and I ordered it, not having any idea what it was.
> OhhmyAlex, as Barb would say, it was wonderful. Pounded very tender,
> lightly seasoned and floured, and sauteed in butter with lemon juice and
> herbs to finish.

I have fried calamari many times and never found any need to pound it. I
remove that piece in the body that looks like plastic, cut it into rings
and soak it in milk for 15-20 minutes, then drain and pat it dry, dredge
it in 1 part cornmeal, three parts flour and a bit of salt then toss it
in hot oil for 2 minutes. It turns out beautifully every time.

In article <4ac3adad$0$1596$[email protected]>,
Dave Smith <[email protected]> wrote:

> notbob wrote:
> > On 2009-09-30, ChattyCathy <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> never gonna eat calamari again." and they strolled off.
> >
> > I'm not a big squid fan and all the "calamari" I've had was like
> > eating sliced garden hose. The one time I had good squid, a 10"x4"
> > steak, I went back to the cook and ask him why it was so tender. He
> > told me you gotta beat the hell out of it. Is that really the key to
> > tender squid?
>
> Maybe it depends on how it is cooked. I have had it grilled, stewed and
> fried and I thought that the trick was in cooking time.... 2 minutes or
> 20 minutes. When frying, it should be done in 2 minutes. If you cook it
> longer than that it turns to rubber.

That has been my personal experience... And I've actually cooked squid.

More than once.

And have posted pics to prove it. <g>
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/home?tab=mq>
[email protected]
Subscribe: [email protected]

Omelet wrote:

> I guess ignorance can be entertaining... <g>

It made me chuckle, I have to admit. However, just served to remind me
that a lot of people still think that [chicken] eggs come from a
supermarket and that 'dinner' usually comes in a foil/cardboard
container.
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Omelet wrote:

> That has been my personal experience... And I've actually cooked squid.
>
> More than once.
>
> And have posted pics to prove it. <g>

That's okay. I believe you. I have cooked it too but I don't have
pictures. You will haev to take my word for it it.

It was okay grilled. It was okay when it was cooked in liquid. The best
way was to fry it, either pan fried or deep fried. I was always careful
not to cook it more than 2 minutes and it was never tough or rubbery.

I haven't done it lately because I have not seen the small packages I
used to buy. For a while I was getting them in flat packages with about
a dozen cleaned squids for about $3. I can still get them in larg frozen
blocks but they have to be cleaned and there are far too many for the
two of us.

Sqwertz wrote:
>
> On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:20:28 GMT, notbob wrote:
>
> > On 2009-09-30, ChattyCathy <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> never gonna eat calamari again." and they strolled off.
> >
> > I'm not a big squid fan and all the "calamari" I've had was like
> > eating sliced garden hose. The one time I had good squid, a 10"x4"
> > steak, I went back to the cook and ask him why it was so tender. He
> > told me you gotta beat the hell out of it. Is that really the key to
> > tender squid?
>
> The key to tender squid is to use small squids - under 6" bodies.
> Overcooking is a concern, too, but they're more forgiving than
> shrimp IMO.

Agreed. The small _Loligo_opalescens_ species from off
the Monterey coast is the best squid I've ever had.

The chain of seafood restaurants called The Fish Market
used to use these squid. Unfortunately, they have switched
to a larger species which is not nearly so good. I doubt
I shall ever eat there again.

The frozen deep-fried squid at Trader Joe's are also
this larger species. I bought a box of that stuff
once -- never again.

> Larger squid can be used if you're more careful about not
> overcooking. I have some very large squid rings I'm cooking tonight
> that are 3" across. They came from squid that were about a foot
> long (bodies, not including tentacle extension). They will turn out
> unlike garden hose. *You real-ly have to be a dolt to overcook them
> to garden hose/rubber band texture.

Do you know the species of this squid, or where they
come from? It sounds like the same thing.

Mark Thorson wrote:
>
> Sqwertz wrote:
> >
> > Larger squid can be used if you're more careful about not
> > overcooking. I have some very large squid rings I'm cooking tonight
> > that are 3" across. They came from squid that were about a foot
> > long (bodies, not including tentacle extension). They will turn out
> > unlike garden hose. *You real-ly have to be a dolt to overcook them
> > to garden hose/rubber band texture.
>
> Do you know the species of this squid, or where they
> come from? It sounds like the same thing.

I think I may have found it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loligo_pealeii

Mark Thorson wrote:
>
> I think I may have found it.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loligo_pealeii

This is another possibility:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loligo_plei


Trivia: this former U.S. Navy ship was
attacked by a very large squid species.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Stein_(FF-1065)

"notbob" wrote

> I'm not a big squid fan and all the "calamari" I've had was like
> eating sliced garden hose. The one time I had good squid, a 10"x4"
> steak, I went back to the cook and ask him why it was so tender. He
> told me you gotta beat the hell out of it. Is that really the key to
> tender squid?

No though it can be with a steak cut. It has more to do with cooking method
combined with time.

Small strips are cooked quickly for a short period, large ones for longer
times usually but will come up tender with short times.

Believe me, I know squid! It was the only truely affordable 'meat' in Japan
for 6.5 years when we were there. Often as cheap as 100yen for 500g (about
a lb). Don can clean one in about 15 seconds. Bigger ones are easier to
clean so he can do a 12 inch medium sized one in 10 seconds.

Squertz says the smaller ones are 'more tender'. This is not true. It's
more about cooking method than size. The most tender of all, is one that is
18 inch body cavity (longer obviously when you add the tentacles and such)
stuffed then baked at a low temp (325 works) until the skin just begins to
glisten golden. Do not use bread stuffing. Use fully aquated cooked rices
or grits mixed with other seafoods and greens. Addition of a little mirin
is a plus.

Man, I need to finish some stuff here then will help on this ;-)

ChattyCathy <[email protected]> wrote in news:NtOwm.18668$lR3.17875
@newsfe25.iad:

> Omelet wrote:
>
>> I guess ignorance can be entertaining... <g>
>
> It made me chuckle, I have to admit. However, just served to remind me
> that a lot of people still think that [chicken] eggs come from a
> supermarket and that 'dinner' usually comes in a foil/cardboard
> container.



Along the same lines as this..........???

http://i35.tinypic.com/spaolc.jpg



--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia


If we are not meant to eat animals,
why are they made of meat?

aem <[email protected]> wrote in news:8353d93d-c499-41ae-808e-
[email protected]:

> On Sep 30, 11:20 am, notbob <not...@nothome.com> wrote:
>> On 2009-09-30, ChattyCathy <cathy1...@mailinator.com> wrote:
>>
>> > never gonna eat calamari again." and they strolled off.
>>
>> I'm not a big squid fan and all the "calamari" I've had was like
>> eating sliced garden hose. The one time I had good squid, a 10"x4"
>> steak, I went back to the cook and ask him why it was so tender. He
>> told me you gotta beat the hell out of it. Is that really the key to
>> tender squid?
>>
> I think the cooking time is more important. It has to be either two
> minutes or less, or more than 45 minutes. Anything in between and you
> get rubber. I used to get thin (1/4 inch) squid steaks that were
> scored with a crosshatch pattern and I don't know if they had been
> pounded. One minute on each side in oil/butter and they were tender.
> Two minutes on each side and you couldn't chew them. -aem
>



The general rule is, either flash cooking, or slow cook it for 4 hours.

But large steaks can be softened by soaking in buttermilk.

That came out in the Humboldt thread.



--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia


If we are not meant to eat animals,
why are they made of meat?

In article <NtOwm.18668$[email protected]>,
ChattyCathy <[email protected]> wrote:

> Omelet wrote:
>
> > I guess ignorance can be entertaining... <g>
>
> It made me chuckle, I have to admit. However, just served to remind me
> that a lot of people still think that [chicken] eggs come from a
> supermarket and that 'dinner' usually comes in a foil/cardboard
> container.

Yep!

And meat is made at the grocery store so why kill innocent animals for
food? ;-)
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/home?tab=mq>
[email protected]
Subscribe: [email protected]