Squid ink is a delicious, healthy and original product that can turn a dish into something very special. Cephalopods are part of the Mediterranean cuisine. They are low in calories and high in protein, amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, micro and macro elements. Shellfish have a gland that produces a black liquid called ink.
Octopuses, squids and cuttlefish throw out almost all of their ink supply at the moment of danger. How to use this substance in cooking?
Cuttlefish ink was previously used to make brown paint. Then the healing properties of ink were studied, thanks to which they began to be used for cooking food – sauces, fish dishes, or just for decoration, giving dishes a rich black color.
In octopuses, the ink is almost black, while in squid it is bluish, and in cuttlefish it is brownish. All ink contains a lot of amino acids, taurine and melanin – a dye that gives the finished dishes their appearance and color.
Most commercially available ink is made from cuttlefish but is classified as “squid ink”.
Most people use squid ink for aesthetic purposes without realizing that it is a natural food coloring and seasoning that has a salty fishy flavor and a lot of useful properties.
In small doses, cuttlefish ink is found in some medicines. The ink lowers blood cholesterol levels, improves metabolism, has anti-inflammatory properties and boosts immunity.
This product is hard to find on supermarket shelves. They can also be ordered from online gourmet stores in small packages and large cans if you plan on using the ink on a regular basis.
The main thing is to pay attention to the composition of the product. It should not contain any additives other than salt. In any other case, before you is a fake with other food colors in the composition.
You can use ink to make homemade pasta, as well as rice-based dishes such as paella or risotto, to tint sauce or pastries with them.