Cephalopods for the Holidays!
Cephalopods are in big demand during the Christmas season. The three major types that are purchased and consumed are: Pulpo/Octopus, Sepia/Cuttlefish & Calamari/Squid.
Many people do not understand the difference between these three and tend to lump them all together. However each type is a distinct animal. Cooking methods can be quite similar but there are distinctive characteristics to each.
Pulpo or Octopus:
Sold as large cleaned (each individual octopus weighs one to several pounds) or baby cleaned (several octopi per one pound). These are typically boiled for salad or stewed in tomato sauce and transcend several cuisines: South American, Mediterranean and Asian etc. The cooked meat is chewy but flavorful. The tentacles are quite long and are cut into pieces while the head meat is sliced.
Sepia or Cuttlefish:
This cephalopod is not as well known in the USA as its cousins the squid or octopus. However, in Europe and Asia, this is the prized cephalopod for flavor and consistency. The animal is a cross between both the squid and octopus in appearance. The thick meat cooks up snow white and is tender with a subtle flavor. It is delicious when grilled or stewed but is just as tasty fried or boiled. The tentacles are shorter and the body (or tube) is where the thick slices come from. Once again the forms sold in the marketplace are either: large cleaned, large uncleaned or baby cleaned.
Most everyone knows this cephalopod. The tube and tentacles are fried or the tube is stuffed. Product is sized by tube length and there are many tubes or tubes & tentacles per pound.
Happy Holidays! May cephalopods be included on your holiday menu!