Salt & Pepper Squid - Really Easy

[davidbloop]

Ok, this is one of the ways I sometimes cook up my squid. I do it with cuttlefish too and it works out fine.



There are a lot of salt and pepper squid recipes on the net and I'm not going to say that mine is the best but if you're someone like me then you might be looking for something really easy that you won't have to go find any ingredients for.









First of all you can cut your squid however you want, squares, strips, rings, it doesn't matter. Just prepare it how you like, then chuck it in a bowl of milk and put it in the fridge. It helps if you have not so fresh squid to leave it in the milk to soak for a couple of hours but my squid is normally fresh caught so it doesn't matter and in this case, the milk is only helping to make the batter stick.





Next get a bowl and put some flower in it. Mix in a nice amount of salt and pepper. It is hard to say amounts as I normally just do it to taste but generally I keep cracking pepper into the flower and mixing it until it looks like there is a generous portion of pepper mixed in. The salt I just normally guess at, although it is pretty hard to stuff it up.





Next step is to simply dip your squid into the flour mix and give it a light covering. I find its best to get this all out of the way before heating the pan because it can actually take a while and the flour will turn to glue on your fingertips.





Anyway, when its all prepared simply get a pan on high heat with a bit of oil, extra virgin olive oil or canola are fine. Wait til the oil is at a high temp, almost smoking then simply put your squid in. Wait until you can see the bottom side turning a bit brown on the edges then turn it over. You don't want too cook it for too long because a) the squid will go chewy and <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> you'll burn the batter.





One thing I like about this recipe is that you'll overcook the batter before you will overcook the squid, meaning you pretty much have a visual representation of when the squid is ready by the browness of the flour.





When its cooked on both sides, serve and eat <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> Nice simple recipe with only basic ingredients that every household has.

[glen]

hey david, thanks for the recipe! sounds good! <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

[squiding.it.up]

Yum as. Easy as. gotta try that with the squid in the freezer <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

thanks heaps

[davidbloop]

The good thing is that I've tried a few of the different and more complicated recipes but I end up coming back to this one, I find it tastes just as good but its a lot easier and I dont have to make sure I have anything in the cupboard apart from salt, pepper, flour and milk.







For anyone that is in less of a heavy mood, you should try lemon and pepper instead. Simply soak your squid in lemon juice instead of milk this time, give it a good mix in with pepper too. Then cook it in a half oil/half lemon juice mix thats on high heat, no batters or anything. When you serve it add a tad more pepper and another squeeze of lemon juice. It's a really good summer meal thats easy and takes 2 seconds to prepare.

[blinkings]

Yeah nice one mate. I'm really a novice in the kitchen, but this is the way I do it too and I think it turns out well.

Well done.

[pisces_australis]

Thats the way i like it sometimes, plain and simple with some nice salad......in a pan with some oil seems to make it a sweet taste.

i also like your flour theory, it does work, i tried it with corn flour once but it just falls off.

[ru 12 mug]

David

plain flour or self raising flour

mug

[Rick158]

That's a good recipe. Works well with shop bought & day or 2 old squid. Personally, with a fresh catch of the local squid found in sydney harbour I prefer to do away with the flour & batter completely. This is my version for about a kilo of cleaned squid.



clean & cut up the squid as you like, rings are ok but I find strips are better - they cook more evenly. include the tentacles & skinned wing tips. 6 or 7 grinder turns of fresh black pepper or mixed pepper corns, twist or 2 of good sea salt & some freshly cracked szechuan pepper (3 or 4 turns in a pepper grinder). mix through until the squid bits.



Splash of good olive oil in a hot pan & throw in about a dozen bits of squid. turn them the moment the colour has changed to white from the original opaque. cook another 20 seconds & put in a bowl to keep warm. 1 twist of pepper & one more of sea salt (Note: The total pan time for squid with say 25cm tubes or less should not be more than 1 minute. If they are not cooked in that time your pan is either not hot enough to start with, or, you put in too much squid & took the heat out of it. ) then do the next batch.



a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to finish & serve with whatever you like. Salad with lots of herbs is perfect.



I've done this many times & a word of warning for those of you with kids: If you get to serve this at a table, you're better than I am. My kids monster it as soon as it's cool enough to touch.

[glen]

Sounds good though I would skip the szechuan pepper!!!

[Rick158]

It's not for everyone, but try it sometime. You may be pleasantly surprised.

[glen]

I generally like Chinese food though I pass when it comes to Szechuan food.



My wife is from that part of china so I know the food all too well!!