Humans everywhere have always been fascinated by octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish, known biologically as cephalopods. They evolved hundreds of millions of years ago and are related to molluscs such as mussels and snails. They can grow to an enormous size with eyes as big as footballs, but they still live for only a couple of years. They mate once in their lifetime and die shortly after. They have blue blood and three hearts and they can shoot out jet-black ink. They have a brain and have behaviours that could be interpreted as signs of intelligence, even though more than half of their brain is distributed in their arms. They are colour blind, but they can change the colour of their skin in a flash. They are masters of disguise and are able to alter the texture of their skin and the patterns displayed on it at lighting speed. They can also taste using the suckers on their arms. They can move extremely fast thanks to a jet-propulsion system built into their body cavity.
Although they are soft-bodied and look vulnerable, cephalopods are formidable predators. Octopuses have arms that are so strong that they can exert a force equal to hundreds of times their own body weight. Squid and cuttlefish can shoot out a tentacle to capture prey at the speed of a javelin thrown by an expert athlete.
Cephalopods are, however, so much more than just fascinating creatures with strange physical characteristics. They are a nutritious, delicious protein source that has found a place for thousands of years in many food cultures around the world. As squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses are native to virtually all parts of the ocean, they are an excellent and available alternative to meat from terrestrial animals.
This book is written to promote the overall place of cephalopods in home kitchens and to inspire the uninitiated to add them to their diet. It describes the many facets of their anatomy that play a central role in their potential use as healthy, diverse,and interesting food sources, with a particular emphasis on their taste and texture. By way of an assortment of recipes, the authors hope to dispel the myth that it is difficult to prepare delicious dishes using squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses. In addition, there are contributions to the on-going discussions about how marine resources can be exploited more responsibly in a sustainable manner.
Ole G. Mouritsen is a professor of gastrophysics and culinary food innovation at the University of Copenhagen,president of the Danish Gastronomical Academy, and director of the Danish national research and communication centre Taste for Life.
Klavs Styrbęk is a chef and leader of the gastronomic enterprise STYRBĘKS, which includes a gourmet restaurant, a cooking school, a catering service, and a product development branch.
Introduction.- Part I. Strange beings from the depths of the sea.,
Mythological sea monsters.- Cephalopods in art, literature, and iconography.-
And they continue to fascinate us.- Part II. Such abundance, so much
diversity.- A few words about their classification.- Head-feet that have no
feet.- When did the cephalopods appear on the scene?.- Where and how do they
live?.- Part III. An overview of cephalopod anatomy.- The mantle.- Heart,
nerves, and intelligence.-Consciousness of another kind.- Eyes.- Mouth and
beak.- Arms and tentacles.- Suckers, which have a sense of taste.- Blue blood
and three hearts.- Muscles.- Siphon.- Ink., Innards.- A master of disguises.,
Luminescence.- Skin as a sense receptor.- Octopuses in Naples.- Part
IV. Cephalopod fisheries.- The global catch.- Harvesting cephalopods in the
Mediterranean., Part V. Taste and nutritional value., Nutrients in
cephalopods.- How do they taste?.- Are marine-borne toxins a problem?.- Part
VI. Sourcing, storing, and preparing cephalopods.-Where to purchase
cephalopods.- How to clean and store them.-Making them tender.- Fermenting
cephalopods and using them as fermentation agents.- Cooking with their ink.-
Part VII. Cephalopods in the kitchen.- In culinary traditions around the
world.- Raw or almost raw.- Eating the perfect cuttlefish sashimi in London.-
Shopping for octopus and cuttlefish at an Italian street market.- Marinating
cephalopods.- Dehydrated cephalopods.- Octopus stock and the foie gras of
the sea.- Grilled cephalopods.- Deep-fried cephalopods.-Pescaito frito made
with squids.- The evolution of pescado frito.-Steamed and cooked
cephalopods.- Cooking them in a wok.- Stuffed cephalopods.- Using the ink in
dishes and snacks.- A take on The Compleat Angler using giant squid.-
Cephalopods in Vietnam and Cambodia.- Part VIII. The Nordic Food Labs Squid
Squad.- The Nordic Food Lab, gastronomy, and gastrophysics.- Squids of the
North.- A surprising discovery.- Featuring cephalopods at Taste for Life.- A
marine field trip to Sardinia with an expert chef.- Part IX. The seafood of
the future?.- Food from the oceans for a hungry planet.- Is cephalopod
aquaculture an option?.- Discovering the life cycle of the cuttlefish in
Brittany.- Like weeds of the sea, the cephalopods are multiplying.- Eat the
cephalopods!.- Part X. Technical and scientific details.- The genealogy of
cephalopods.- List of cephalopods mentioned in this book.- Glossary.-
Culinary terms.- Bibliography.-Illustrations.- Acknowledgements.- The people
behind the book.-Recipes.- Cleaning and storing cephalopods.- Iko no
shiokara.-Cuttlefish in their own ink (calamari en su tinto).- Ika sashimi
with avocado and lumpfish roe.- Squid ink fettucine with lobster, roe, and
dried lime.- Sepia tartare with pistachios, lime, and avocado.- Squid royale
with Jerusalem artichokes in sepia ink.- Octopus salad.-Peruvian squid
ceviche.- Grilled, partially dehydrated squids (ikano ichiya-boshi).- Glazed
octopus arms with lentils and mushrooms.- Foie gras of the sea.- Grilled or
seared cuttlefish.- Marinated grilled cuttlefish siphons on lemongrass.-
Cephalopod mouths and beaks in white beans with tomatoes and dried shrimp.-
Fried calamari with octopus chips and mayonnaise., Extra crisp squid rings
and strips., Pulpo ą la Gallego.- Calamar ą la mar del Norte.- Cooked squid
with spinach, roe, and cream sauce.- Salt and pepper wok-fried squid., Squid
cobs with snow peas.- Stuffed squids.- Santa hatssquids baked in
piquillo peppers with capers.- Black potato gnocchi with squids.- Black pasta
with squids.- Black hot dog buns with seaweed onion jam.- Crisp spaghetti
with soy-roasted pumpkin seeds.- Pasta fritta with cuttlefish ink.- Sweet
azuki beans in cuttlefish ink.- Giant squid, roasted in the manner of The
Compleat Angler.- Japanese flying squids at their best.- Cambodian squid
curry., Kroeung spice mixture for Kmer amokSilky squid confit.- Black
saucemade from squid ink and squid livers.- Sardinian-inspired squid biscuits.
Ole G. Mouritsen is a research scientist and professor of gastrophysics and culinary food innovation at Copenhagen University. His work focuses on basic sciences and their applications within the fields of biotechnology, biomedicine, and food. He is the recipient of numerous prizes for his work and for research communication. His extensive list of publications includes a number of monographs, several of them co-authored with Klavs Styrbęk, which integrate scientific insights with culinary perspectives and have been nominated three times for Gourmand Best in the World Awards. Currently, Ole is president of The Danish Gastronomical Academy and director of the National Danish Taste Centre Taste for Life, which is generously supported by the Nordea Foundation. This is a cross-disciplinary centre that aims to foster a better understanding of the fundamental nature of taste impressions and how we can use this knowledge to make much more informed and healthier food choices. Its extensive educational program reaches out to audiences of all ages, with a special effort directed toward children to shape their dietary habits from an early age. For many years, Ole has been fascinated with the Japanese culinary arts and in explaining the extent to which its techniques and taste elements can be adapted for the Western kitchen. In recognition of his efforts, he was appointed in 2016 as a Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, and in 2017 the Japanese Emperor bestowed upon him The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays With Neck Ribbon, Kyokujitsuchujusho.
Klavs Styrbęk is a professional chef who owns and operates STYRBĘKS together with his wife, Pia. By combining a high standard of craftsmanship, sparked by curiosity-driven enthusiasm, he has created a gourmet centre where people can enjoy excellent food and where they can come to learn and take their culinary skills to a whole new level. Klavs is particularly enthusiastic about seeking out unique, local raw ingredients that are incorporated into new taste adventures or used to revisit traditional Danish recipes that might otherwise be forgotten. This delicate balance between innovation and renewal is demonstrated in his award-winning cookbook Mormors mad (Grandmothers Food) (2006), which was honored with a special jury prize at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in 2007. In 2008 and 2019 he was awarded an honorary diploma for excellence in the culinary arts by the Danish Gastronomical Academy. Many of the recipes that appear in the books co-authored with Ole originated in the test-kitchens at STYRBĘKS.
Jonas Drotner Mouritsen is a graphic designer and owner of the design company Chromascope that specializes in graphic design, animation, and film production. His movie projects have won several international awards. In addition, he has been responsible for layout, photography, and design of several books about food, some of which have been nominated for Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.
Mariela Johansen, who has Danish roots, lives in Vancouver, Canada, and holds an MA in Humanities with a special interest in the ancient world. Working with Ole and Klavs, she has translated several monographs, adapting them for a wider English language readership. Two of these, Umami: unlocking the secrets of the fifth taste and Mouthfeel: How Texture Makes Taste, won a Gourmand World Cookbook Award for the best translation of a cookbook published in the USA in 2014 and 2017, respectively.
