Octopus is rich in vitamins and minerals. It’s also low in fat, making it a great source of complete protein for people trying to manage their weight. This can depend on how it’s prepared, however. Frying it as calamari or cooking octopus in butter or oil can add extra fat and calorie content to your meal.

Moray eels, fish, seals, sperm whales, sea otters, and many birds prey on octopuses.

Farming octopuses is not only unethical but deeply damaging to the environment, scientists say. From the Mediterranean to the Sea of Japan, octopuses are considered a culinary delicacy, and demand is growing.

Octopus is commonly confused with calamari, though both are surprisingly different in taste (when served raw) and cooking methods. Many people think calamari dishes are made from octopus, when in fact calamari is actually made from a type of squid.

With the state of the resources being what it is, and demand still growing, one must expect very tight supplies and rising prices also for squid. Octopus demand continues to grow, while supplies continue to be tight, translating into higher prices.

Calamari is also a good source of: Vitamin C. Iron. Calcium.

Fried squid (calamari) is a dish in Mediterranean cuisine. It consists of batter-coated squid, deep-fried for less than two minutes to prevent toughness. It is served plain, with salt and lemon on the side.

Squid has thin, mild flesh compared with octopus and cuttlefish, which have thicker, more flavorful meat like that of crab or lobster. Unlike fish and shellfish, raw squid meat is smooth and firm. When prepared properly, calamari becomes tender and absorbs the flavors it’s cooked with.

Do not eat raw or undercooked fish or squid. The FDA recommends the following for seafood preparation or storage to kill parasites. Cook seafood adequately (to an internal temperature of at least 145° F [~63° C]).

Remove the tentacles from the squid and cut the bodies into thick rings, about 1cm in diameter, and large triangles. Put the pieces and tentacles into a bowl and cover with milk, then cover the bowl and refrigerate for up to 8 hours (even half an hour is better than nothing).

To tenderise the meat and remove some of the chewiness, soak the squid in either lemon juice or kiwi fruit juice for half an hour before cooking. The acidity helps to break down the texture. Alternatively, tenderise by soaking the squid in milk overnight, covered and refrigerated.

Although its rubbery reputation is not entirely undeserved, calamari turns tough only when overcooked. The trick to coaxing it to a soft, supple texture is to cook it quickly over high heat or slowly over low, whether sauteing, roasting, stir-frying, grilling, or even deep-frying.

Whether you’re braising in garlic, herbs, and white wine, a simple marinara sauce, or your favorite curry, allow the squid to simmer for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour, or until very tender.

The most basic way of cooking octopus is to simmer it in liquid. Fill a saucepan with salted water and bring to the boil. Add the octopus, reduce the heat immediately and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes. It’s important that the water is turned down to a gentle simmer once the octopus is in the pan.

Salting is essential to tenderness, or fatal; brief dips in boiling water tenderize, or long slow cooling, or a rubbing with grated daikon, or the addition of a wine cork to the cooking liquid. Last week I stumbled on a Greek food scientist’s report that small amounts of vinegar tenderize octopus. A solid lead at last!

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cut the calamari bodies into rings 3/4 inch thick. Add the calamari rings and tentacles to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until all the seafood is opaque throughout but still tender, about 4 minutes longer.

Cut the squid open, and scrape any more innards out and discard. Cut into slices, or score the squid and cut into pieces. You can now cook the squid. Frying is a popular method – squid pieces just need to be cooked for 30-40 seconds on a very high heat.

When fresh squid spoils it changes color, losing its milkiness as it starts to turn red or yellow. “But the best way to tell whether squid is fresh,” says Wallace, “is to use your nose.” Fresh squid, which can be kept for a few days anyway, has a mildly sweet smell or no smell at all.

about 2-3 minutes