The Truth About Cooking/Eating Squid & Octopus
For cooking squid and BABY octopus you either cook
it for a minute or two OR you cook then for at least
one hour. Otherwise you get tough, chewy meat.
Adult octopus is cooked altogether different.
It must be pounded, and cooked over
a low heat. Since there's little fat in the meat, high
heat will only boil off the fat leaving tough meat behind.
Every octopus eating culture has their own methods.
Some cook octopus in its own juices, Italians cook it
with wine corks to add tenderizing enzymes, and Greeks
cook it in water or white wine.
T-Bone, it's not the texture--or the "mouth feel"--of the
octopus you don't like, rather the tough, chewy meat.
Octopus has a very pleasing, playful "mouth feel" as
its tentacles tickle your tongue. (how's that for a bunch of Ts??)
If you're eating tough squid or octopus, fire the cook.
Ojos, I'm not sure about the milk, but cleaning and perserving
a whole squid is easy. Once you remove its "plastic like" backbone,
outer skin and pinch out its beak, all that's left are its entrails.
Now here's the surprise, or should I say Prize.
All the entrails are edilbe and delicious, especially the eggsac.
However, the ink sac has such a strong flavor, its recommended
you remove it. Here's how. Simply make a small cut at the base
of the squid's body, vertically, towards its apex. Then reach in
with your finger and pull the ink sack out. Now you're ready to
cook and feast. By the way, the ink sack has many culinary uses
as well: tamales, pasta, and soups.
Stinky Matt, keep cooking. I'm sure your kitchen skills will keep
improving, just like your fishing.
Driftwood, a wife who doesn't like fish heads makes me wonder...
Tman, if you include me in on a hot bite, we'll cook our fish together.
How's that for a deal?
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