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"Ripe To Tell">
Squid: The Misunderstood Cephalopod
March 10, 2007
Squid: The Misunderstood Cephalopod
Calamari or Squid is very popular in many cuisines around
the world, and is eaten in many different ways worldwide.
Probably the most popular way in the United States to have
it is breaded and fried as an appetizer, usually called
“Fried Calamari Rings”. In more elaborate preparations,
the body is left whole, and stuffed with an array of
ingredients to reflect the latest culinary trend, or to
suit the palate of the region where the dish is being
prepared.
Although these creatures are abundant in Caribbean waters,
they are not a lucrative catch for most fishermen, as their
use in island cuisine is very limited if not non-existent.
In Jamaica for instance, the only talk of squid is when out
fishing for use as bait or chum. Very few have explored the
delight this mis-understood Cephalopod can bring to the
table if prepared properly. Its sweet, delicate, briny
flavor, and slightly firm texture will stand out, if not
overcooked or overpowered by stronger flavored ingredients.
Although fried Calamari is quite popular in the US, and is
a great dish in its own right, I believe that the best way
to experience squid is to cook it ever so quickly, a few
minutes at the most, along with some mild additions that
would complement the dish.
Squid goes from raw to overcooked in about 5 minutes, so
timing is important when dealing with fresh, unbattered
Calamari. It is much more forgiving if breaded and
deep-fried, but loses much of the “depth-of-flavor” during
this process.
Here at Ripe, we introduced the “Jamaican One-Minute
Calamari” last week-end, and due to its popularity, and
great reviews, it will once again be featured this week-end
for all who didn’t try it, to have an opportunity to do so.
Of course, factoring island time into the recipe, it
actually takes about 4 minutes to cook, hence the
“JAMAICAN” one-minute Calamari.
You can try this dish at home if you’re feeling
adventurous, as we have the recipe on our recipe page, or
just cut and paste the link below into your browser.
http://www.riperestaurant.com/page/page/4384657.htm
Other Specials we are currently working on in the kitchen:
Jerk Pork Chop, Rice & Peas, Ripe Plantains
Smoked Salmon Frittata, Vegetables, Cheddar &Parmesan
Cheese
Sautéed Bok Choy
Other specials to follow when we get our seafood delivery
today…….
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