Cooking Method
The flesh of the mantle, fins, arms and tentacles is suitable for a wide variety of preparations, whole tubes can be stuffed and baked, strips or rings can be dusted in seasoned flour and deep-fried or marinated and char-grilled or stir-fried. The ink can be used to flavour and colour risotto or pasta (though Cuttlefish ink is traditionally used).
Species
Description
Available wild-caught, these marine cephalopods have mottled purpley-brown skin with long, rounded side fins running almost the full length of their body, 8 shorter arms and 2 longer tentacles. They are found inshore to depths of less than 100m, commonly in coastal bays and inlets around southern Australia from Brisbane to Shark Bay, WA. Most of the commercial catch comes from SA.
They tend to gather near the seabed during the day and spread out at night throughout the water, coming to the surface to feed. They are mainly caught by jigging (using lights to attract them to the water’s surface at night), but also as bycatch in tunnel nets, trawling, inshore haul nets and beach seines.
‘Calamari’ is the Italian word for ‘Squids’, but it also refers to those species of Squid whose side fins run the full length of their bodies as opposed to those with relatively shorter side fins.
Other Names
Calamari, Calamary, Grass Squid, Squid.
Family
Loliginidae (Calamaries, inshore Squids).
Season
Available year round.
Size and Weight
Average 300-500g and 16-20cm mantle length, but can grow to almost 4kg and 55cm.