Preparing and cooking squid isn't as slippery as it seems

By Luke Wong and Marc Eiden

Salt and pepper squid is a staple of many restaurants and pubs, but would you be game enough to try cooking this meat at home?

Beyond their slippery exterior and tentacles, squid and calamari are easy to prepare and very versatile, says Melbourne chef James Maffescioni.

"If you're looking for something in your diet that's a protein and something that's not as heavy as red meat, or pork, or lamb … squid is really light," he says.

"It works with a range of different flavours — sweet, sour, chilli, spicy, salty. You can bake it, you can sear it, you can deep fry it, you can cure it."

Squid is not only tasty, but it's said to be a more sustainable source of protein due to its reproduction rate and the targeted method that's used to catch them, known as jigging.

"Squid jigging is one of the few clean methods of fishing where it has very little by-catch," Sunshine Coast marine biologist Julian Pepperell says.

"As far as giving it a tick environmentally, that's a good thing."

With all that in mind, a chef, fisherman and food journalist share their best tips for buying, cooking and eating squid.

Julie Ray is a trained chef who has taught at a seafood cooking school in Sydney for over 15 years. These days, she's a food journalist based in Byron Bay.

If you're shopping for squid at the fish markets, or your local seafood store, she recommends:

When it comes to different squid species, Julie enjoys frying up loligo squid on the barbecue or in a pan.

She'll go for Gould's squid if it's a dish that's braised slowly.

Source: Sydney Fish Market

When it comes to cooking squid, Julie uses one of two methods: either a quick pan-fry on high heat, or a slow braise on low heat. "There's no in-between," she says.

"When your squid is cooked, it turns opaque, a milky creamy colour."

Here are her tips for preparing squid:

Julie makes her own special seasoning to get that classic salt and pepper flavour.

It includes a tablespoon each of salt, black peppercorns and Sichuan pepper, dry roasted in a pan over medium heat and then ground using a mortar and pestle.

You could also try:

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Ready to cook with squid? Chef James Maffescioni shares one of his favourite recipes.

Make a takeaway favourite at home, with a spicy chicken filling and a colourful and crunchy corn slaw.

In our Food Files series, ABC Everyday takes a close look at a seasonal ingredient every fortnight. From how we eat it, where to find it, and the best ways to enjoy it at home.