To Prepare Squid

Work at the sink with the squid in a colander. If you are right-handed, hold the body of the squid in your left hand, and pull off the head and tentacles with your right hand. Cut the ring of tentacles from the head, and put these to one side, discarding the rest of the head. Sometimes some of the entrails come away when you pull off the head. Before discarding these, look for the ink sac. It is a small, thin, elongated silvery sac which should be removed without breaking and placed in a separate bowl. Take the body of the squid, and squeeze out the remaining contents, as you would squeeze a tube of toothpaste. Check it for the ink sac if you have not already found it. Remove and discard the transparent ‘quill’ from the body cavity. Rinse the body thoroughly and peel off any skin. Remove the two triangular flaps or ‘wings’ and put these with the tentacles. Continue until you have cleaned all the squid.