Although it’s the second most widely eaten shellfish in the world, many Americans still shy away from the squid. Perhaps it’s because of its relatively unappetizing appearance — squid are mollusks, like clams, mussels and oysters, but have an internal shell rather than an external one.

Still, call it by its Italian name, calamari, and folks start to warm up to squid. In fact, squid imports have increased by nearly 30,000 tons a year since 1990. (Worldwide, more than 2 million tons of squid are landed annually.)

Squid varies greatly in size, from less than an ounce to thousands of pounds. Giant squid can reach lengths of up to 55 feet, making them the largest invertebrates on the planet. (Unfortunately, giant squid meat is not edible.)

Most U.S.-caught squid comes from California, where more than 50,000 tons are hauled in each year. El Niño can dramatically cut that number, however, reducing landings to less than 3,000 tons.

Source
California, China, India, Taiwan.

Availability
Squid is available year-round, but is most plentiful during the summer and winter months.

Cooking Tips

• Excellent served breaded and fried as calamari rings
• Also delicious in pastas, salads, stews and soups.
• For a simple preparation, sauté in olive oil and serve with diced tomatoes and capers.
• To avoid making the meat tough, either cook quickly (2 minutes or less) or for about 20 minutes at medium heat.