Introduction
Semproniana’s chef, Ada Parellada, goes into the homes of Catalonia’s most intrepid cuinophiles to resolve weekly questions about everyday products. From vegetables and all kinds of vegetables and fruits, to any kind of sweet, including meat and fish. Ways to make the most of food at its best, innovative techniques and advice that will, in short, make us enjoy a more comfortable life and recipe on the stove at home. The revealing tip that the Catalan cook gives us this week is how to make cuttlefish and not make it hard to enjoy a tender product as you should.
Tips for making cuttlefish tender
Method 1: Cook in the pan
To get a soft and tender cuttlefish, the first thing you have to do is clean, chop and let the cuttlefish drain. The goal is to remove as much water as possible. Once drained, dry it well with kitchen paper. Then he turns on the heat and, without a single drop of oil, cooks the cuttlefish in the pan to remove all the water. If a lot of water comes out during the sautéing, remove the cuttlefish and the water and continue with the process. Leave it on high heat for another minute and it’s time to continue with the rest of the ingredients: oil, garlic and finely chopped parsley.
Method 2: Fry or stew
The other option is to fry or stew the cuttlefish. To do this without it becoming hard, it must be left for about 20 or 25 minutes on medium-low heat. With this cooking you can combine it with other more powerful ingredients.
Method 3: Freeze
Another option to keep it tender is to freeze the cuttlefish. It must be cooked on the griddle for a short time and on high heat. When it is golden brown on one side, turn it over and brown it on the other side. It is important not to stir constantly so that it does not extract the juices it has. If you skip cooking, then you can stew it for a good hour.
Two types of cooking
With cuttlefish you have two options. On the one hand, you can cook it on a very hot griddle for a couple of minutes. As we have seen before, you can have the cuttlefish fresh or frozen, but it is important that when you brown it, you do it without oil and for a very short time. Don’t add the extra ingredients, such as minced garlic and parsley, until the end. The other option is to fry or stew the cuttlefish. To do this without it becoming hard, it must be left for about 20 or 25 minutes on medium-low heat. With this cooking you can combine it with other more powerful ingredients and the cuttlefish will no longer be the main protagonist, although it will always play a prominent role in any dish.
