In cooking, squid was used in ancient Greece. Seafood was on the poor menu. But in the Roman Empire, squids were an integral part of the holiday feast of the aristocracy. Today they are present in the cuisines of many countries of the world. For the preparation of salads and other dishes, their carcasses and tentacles are used. In home cooking, housewives prefer carcasses. The tentacles are mostly dried or pickled as part of sea cocktails. Japanese and Chinese often eat eyes, squid suckers. These parts are pre-dried in a pan and then added to dishes.
The benefits of shellfish
The beneficial properties of seafood are qualitatively and quantitatively superior to indicators of such types of meat as chicken, turkey, and beef.
- Squirrels. 81% of the product is protein. Its use allows you to maintain in good shape and improve muscle development. Squids are an excellent product that allows athletes to build muscle.
- Vitamins. The composition contains vitamin B, E, PP, C. Their use stimulates mental activity, memory, and immunity.
- Polyunsaturated fats. They are necessary for the proper functioning of the liver, maintaining a normal balance of lipids in the blood, and inhibit the development of atherosclerosis.
- Magnesium. Needed for the functioning of the nervous and endocrine systems, supports dental health. Affects glucose uptake.
- Iron. It is an integral part of hemoglobin - a substance that carries oxygen into cells, as well as myoglobin - a component of muscle tissue that is similar in action.
- Iodine. It is a component of thyroid hormones, with a lack of it, mental activity suffers, memory and attention are impaired, as well as problems with the reproductive system.
- Selenium. Participates in the work of the immune system, protects cellular DNA, is part of many hormones, and protects against pathologies of the cardiovascular system.
- Calcium. It is part of the bone tissue, is an essential component of the blood coagulation system.
Rules for making snacks
There are about 200 species of mollusks. Only about ten of them are on store shelves. Commander, Patagonian, Peruvian squid are the most common varieties.
The choice of the main ingredient
If the recipe needs unconserved squid, it is recommended to pay attention to frozen or chilled foods. It can be carcass, rings or filet. For salads, the carcass is great. Knowing several nuances, you can choose a quality and fresh product.
- Freezing. You can determine the quality of freezing by paying attention to the amount of ice and the integrity of the skin. Frozen squid should be covered with ice no more than 8% of the total weight. The skin should not be damaged.
- Colour. The film cannot be monophonic. Often this is a combination of pink, gray, purple shades. And the meat must be white.
Cleaning
Shellfish snacks remain untested if the hostess does not know how to clean the main component. To remove the film from a frozen or chilled product, pour boiling water over the clams. (So most of the film is removed on its own). Draining hot water, the product is washed with cold running. Then you should remove the remnants of the film, the insides.
If the mollusk was purchased in its entirety, then the head is previously cut off. The tentacles can be used, so they are cut off near the eyes. They also have a peel, which is removed by a similar principle.
Classic recipe
Ingredients:
- squid - 600 g;
- four medium sized eggs;
- onion head or a small bunch of green feathers;
- spices to taste;
- four tablespoons of mayonnaise.
Cooking
- To boil carcasses, pre-cleaned clams are dipped in boiling water with spices and hold for no more than two minutes.
- We take out the carcasses, cool and cut in half rings or straws.
- Boiled and peeled eggs, cut into small cubes or three on a large grater.
- Finely chop the green or pickled onions.
- We mix products, salt and pepper, add mayonnaise.
Warm version
The peculiarity of warm appetizers is that, if the cookery is desired, they can easily be transformed into cold ones and acquire a different flavor. You just need to hold the dish in the refrigerator for half an hour. You can decorate such snacks with lettuce, quail eggs.
With bell pepper
Ingredients:
- three to four medium carcasses of the mollusk;
- two sweet bell peppers;
- one onion;
- three tablespoons of olives or olives;
- one garlic clove;
- one tablespoon of soy sauce;
- one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar;
- five tablespoons of olive oil;
- sprigs of parsley.
Cooking
- We chop the pepper into strips, chop the onion into rings, chop the garlic finely.
- Add the olives whole or cut into large rings.
- Mix seasonings. Add black ground pepper if desired.
- Pour the vegetables with the mixture.
- We cut squids into thin rings and fry in olive oil for no more than one minute over high heat.
- Add soy sauce to the seafood and leave to marinate for five minutes.
- Mix the components, decorate with parsley sprigs.
With mushrooms
Ingredients:
- squid - 300 g;
- mushrooms (champignons) - 200 g;
- one onion;
- walnuts - 50 g;
- hard cheese - 80 g;
- spices to taste;
- mayonnaise.
Cooking
- We cook according to the rules of mollusks. We cut into thin rings.
- Mushrooms, onions, cut into small slices or cubes, fry for ten minutes and add walnuts.
- Spread to the squid.
- Add mayonnaise, spices and sprinkle with grated cheese.
With tofu
Ingredients:
- one squid carcass;
- Beijing cabbage to taste;
- tofu - 50 g;
- one cucumber;
- two tomatoes (one possible);
- a bunch of green onions;
- one hot red pepper;
- one tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Cooking
- Shred the vegetables.
- Dice tofu and fry with pepper until golden brown.
- We spread the fried squid rings on the vegetables (no more than a couple of minutes in a pan), tofu.
- Add chopped onion and season with soy sauce to taste.
Lean dishes
Dietary and light salads can be prepared not only during fasting. Meals are perfect for a daily menu and a festive feast. You will be surprised, but there are many “light” ingredients that make the appetizer spicy and original.
With corn and mushrooms
Ingredients:
- squid - 150 g;
- three potatoes;
- one onion head;
- two fresh cucumbers;
- one can of corn;
- pickled mushrooms (champignons) - 100g;
- two tablespoons of lean mayonnaise;
- spices to taste.
Cooking
- Cook potatoes and clam.
- We cut all the products into cubes, mix with corn.
- Add spices and mayonnaise.
- Decorate the dish with herbs.
With Korean carrots
Ingredients:
- peeled squids - 600 g;
- one onion;
- Korean carrots - 100-150 g;
- soy sauce to taste.
Cooking
- Cut the squid into strips, onions - in half rings.
- We mix the ingredients, season with soy sauce.
- We leave in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or at night.
Combination with other seafood
For cooking snacks, you can take red caviar, shrimp, seaweed, mussels and even crab sticks. The ingredients go well with fruit. The most popular combinations are apples, tangerines, avocados, pineapples and oranges.
With shrimp and red caviar
Ingredients:
- shrimp - 300 g;
- squid - 240 g;
- five eggs;
- red caviar - 120 g;
- one tablespoon of mayonnaise;
- spices to taste;
- greenery.
Cooking
- We divide the boiled eggs into yolk and protein, grind on a grater.
- After cooking, shrimp clean.
- Cut boiled peeled mussels from the film into thin strips.
- The salad is puff, so we adhere to the following sequence: squid, yolks, mayonnaise, half a serving of shrimp, protein, mayonnaise, red caviar.
- Add salt and pepper to each layer.
- Sprinkle with greens on top.
With seaweed
Ingredients:
- two small carcasses of squid;
- seaweed (pickled, but without extra additives) - 100 g;
- two chicken eggs;
- one teaspoon of vegetable oil;
- green onions;
- spices to taste;
- two branches of dill.
Cooking
- Cook, peel squids, cut into half rings or straws.
- Dice the boiled eggs.
- For greater convenience, seaweed can be chopped.
- We mix the ingredients, add spices and herbs, season with oil.
Obviously, squid salads are easy to execute. The main thing is to properly process mollusks. Appetizers go well with boiled rice and noodles.
Other salad recipes
Salad with Crab Sticks
Redheads for the winter
Cucumbers in tomato for the winter
Smoked Sausage Salads