Calamari is derived from the Latin word that means “ink pot,” which pretty well describes squid. While calamari is a catch-all marketing phrase for other cephalopods, like octopus and cuttlefish, it’s most often used for squid. If you wish to replicate your favorite restaurant appetizer of crispy and crunchy fried calamari at home, it’s best to buy it fresh and prepare the squid yourself. For some tips on how to buy the best squid for fresh calamari, we spoke with Donatella Arpaia, the chef and owner of NOMA Beach in Coral Gables, Florida. Arpaia specializes in the Mediterranean cuisine of her native Italy, so it’s no wonder that calamari is always on her menu.
“Choosing and cleaning the right calamari is just as important as cooking it,” the chef told Tasting Table, “For the best results, I go with small to medium-sized calamari, around four to six inches.” There are three types of squid you might find at your local fish market: shortfin squid from the northwest Atlantic, the larger longfin squid from North Carolina, and the California market squid. Squid caught in U.S. waters is considered by the National Marine Fisheries Service to be a smart seafood choice due to U.S. sustainability and harvesting regulations. Because shortfin squid and California market squid are the smallest, they are, per Arpaia’s suggestion, the type to look for. The chef also advises buying whole squid rather than pre-cut squid because “the flavor and juiciness are far superior.”
Fresh whole squid is better than frozen
“Fresh squid is hard to find,” Arpaia admits, “but if you can get it, it makes a world of difference.” Your best chances of finding whole squid would be at a fishmonger or at a supermarket that specializes in fresh seafood. There are a few things you need to know about how to buy fresh fish or seafood. With squid, first check the clarity of its bulbous eyes. If they’re cloudy, the squid has not been freshly caught. Additionally, check its skin and scent. As Arpaia notes, “The skin should be moist, not slimy, and it should smell like the ocean, never fishy or like ammonia. Bleh!”
While you could ask the fishmonger to clean the squid for you, one of the culinary benefits of learning how to clean squid is preserving the squid’s ink sac, which is often removed and discarded. The jet-black squid ink brings bold flavor to any dish, from spaghetti sauce to squid-ink tagliatelle with clams to the classic Sicilian dish pasta al nero di seppia. Depending on the size and type, a pound could be between two and five squid, and given that the recommended portion is a half pound per person, you may end up with more than you know what to do with. If you’re not cooking the cleaned squid immediately, be sure to refrigerate or freeze your seafood for later use. Understandably, stripping the squid’s skin and cutting out its beak is not for the squeamish, so frozen squid is a convenient and tasty alternative.
