Squid Vicious Recipes

SPICY SQUID STIR FRY (爆炒鱿鱼)

Steps:

• If using squid tube: Use a knife or a pair of scissors to cut along one side of the tube. Open the tube to lay it flat, inner side up. Score the inner flesh of the tube, first parallel to the edge, then rotate the tube and slice to create an "X" shaped pattern, spaced about 1/4" (4 mm) in between. Cut the tube in half lengthwise, then slice into 1" (2.5 cm) strips.
• To marinate the squid: add the squid into a big bowl along with the Shaoxing wine and salt. Stir to mix well and set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
• To make the sauce: Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and stir to mix well.
• To cook the stir fry: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the squid. Let cook for 1 minute, until the bottom turns slightly golden. Stir and cook until the squid just curls up. Transfer the squid to a big plate and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, and ginger. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
• Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook and stir fry for 1 minute. Add back the squid. Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely, then pour it into the pan. Cook and stir until the sauce is thickened, 1 minute or so. Transfer everything to a big plate. Serve hot as a main dish.

SQUID VICIOUS

Steps:

• On a clean cutting board, remove the tentacles from the bodies of the squid and reserve. Make sure the tubes are cleaned out and split them open lengthwise so they look like a flat triangle. Using a matte knife, lightly score the squid in a crosshatch pattern. Cut each tube into four pieces of roughly equal size.
• In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of soy sauce with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and toss the squid in it to coat. Marinate while preparing for the rest of the dish. Combine the miso broth and balsamic vinegar with the remaining cornstarch.
• In a hot pan or wok, add the sesame oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the squid and cook for 30 to 40 seconds. It will curl up naturally and brown. Working quickly, add the garlic, ginger, and chiles. Allow them to fry for 10 to 15 seconds stirring constantly (they can burn fast). Add the onion, mushrooms, and bell pepper and saute for another minute. Pour in the stock mixture and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Season with white pepper and additional soy sauce, if necessary. Serve over rice.

SQUID IN RED WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Put 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet that can later be covered and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Add the squid and stir, then lower the heat and add the wine. Stir, add the thyme, and cover.
• Cook at a slow simmer until the squid is tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover, season to taste, raise the heat, and cook until most but not all of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the remaining olive oil, garnish if you like, and serve.
• Variations
• Add fennel seeds or crushed red chiles to alter the flavor entirely, or try one of these additions:
• Squid in Red Wine Sauce with Potatoes: Add some crisp-sautéed potatoes or croutons of bread to the finished dish for a contrasting texture.
• Squid in Red Wine Sauce with Tomatoes: Add a few chopped tomatoes (canned are fine) to make the sauce a bit thicker and more plentiful. In this case, you might as well serve the dish over pasta.
• Squid
• Almost all squid is sold so clean it just needs a quick rinse to be ready for cutting up and cooking; some of it is even sold cut into rings. To make it even more convenient, squid, like shrimp, is one of those rare seafoods whose quality barely suffers when frozen, so you can safely tuck a two-pound bag in the freezer and let it sit for a month or two, defrosting it the day you're ready to cook. (Like shrimp, it will defrost quickly and safely when covered with cold water.)