I know I ought to be sad about the news that climate change may spell the end of the great British fish supper as we know it – that human greed is sounding the death knell for cod stocks in the North Sea is not something to celebrate, and that’s the least of the problems rising sea temperatures will cause.
But, although it is something we should all be seriously worried about (you too, Donald), it’s hard not to feel a small and very selfish pleasure in climate change’s tiny silver lining: while cod are moving north out of UK waters, Mediterranean species such as sardines, anchovies and red mullet are increasingly taking their place. Most excitingly of all, as far as I’m concerned, squid numbers are positively soaring.
The British have always been suspicious of these strange-looking cephalopods, willing to tolerate calamari on holiday but not in our own kitchens. I hope increasing availability will signal a change in attitudes, because squid has the potential to be a real crowd-pleaser if only we’d let it – mild and sweet, when properly cooked it is wonderfully tender with a slightly springy texture (done wrong, of course, it is second cousin to a rubber band).
Cooking squid is blessedly simple because there are only two ways to do it: low and slow, or fast and hot. The first follows the same principles as any braised dish, with the added advantage that squid softens far more quickly than most meat – make a base sauce (soften some onions and garlic, for example, sprinkle in some herbs and splash in a bit of wine and a tin of chopped tomatoes), add the pieces of cleaned squid and simmer very gently for about an hour and a half. Easy, cheap and very delicious.
The second is even quicker – cut the cleaned squid into rings or triangles, lightly score any large pieces to help them cook more quickly, season, and cook in a couple of tablespoons of very hot oil, or on a smoking-hot griddle until they curl up. You can flour them lightly if you’d prefer more of a calamari-like coating; or indeed batter and deep-fry them and serve with chips and mushy peas, with extra tartare for those super crispy tentacles. Suddenly a world where Squids In replaces the Codfather doesn’t sound so bad.
