A simple recipe to keep whole squid moist and tender.
Because squid tentacles cook much faster than the body, here’s a little trick we learned on our travels to the Iberian Peninsula. If you stuff the tentacles into the body they take longer to cook and remain juicy and tender. Make sure to clean the squid well. This involves separating the head from the mantle, removing the innards (including the ink sac), cutting off the tentacles, removing the beak and removing the cartilage, the fins and the skin. Here’s a useful article from Spruce Eats on how to clean squid. Rinse the body and tentacles of the squid well and put them in a bowl. Add salt, a little ground fennel, finely ground white pepper and olive oil. If you intend to use bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them beforehand. Stuff the tentacles inside the bodies of the squid and close with a small skewer or toothpick. Skewer the entire squid and cook over charcoal or on a gas barbecue until the squid becomes completely opaque (this will only take a few minutes). If you’re cooking over charcoal, make sure to turn the squid often. Drizzle with lemon juice and serve with salad and crusty bread.
michelle picker cooks 