Rinse in cold water. Draw back rim of body pouch to disclose the pen. Hold the tip and gently pull free. Discard. Hold body pouch in one hand and with the other hold head below eyes. Gently pull apart. Rinse pouch and gently pull away lining membrane. Cut off tentacles, slicing just below the eyes. Discard the head. Skin pouch by slipping a finger under the skin and peeling it off. Cut fins from both sides of pouch and skin them. The beak like mouth lies inside the rim connecting the tentacles. Squeeze mouth out of rim with fingers and discard. There are four edible parts of a squid or inkfish - the tentacles, the pouch and two fins.
STUFFED CALAMARI OR SQUID TUBES
For this dish set the bodies aside once the squid has been cleaned, or buy ready-cleaned calamari tubes. Tentacles and fins can be used in the stuffing but must be finely chopped.
Saute finely chopped onion in olive oil. In a separate pot, cook chopped spinach until tender. In a bowl combine onions and spinach with breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, oregano, an egg, salt and pepper. Mix together for the stuffing. Stuff the squid tube with this mixture. Fill each squid tube loosely as they will shrink during cooking and may split. Secure the opening with a toothpick. In the meantime saute some more chopped onion in a deep pan in olive oil until transparent. Lay the stuffed squid on top and add a glass of dry white wine and a handful of chopped parsley. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes. Remove squid to a plate. Reduce the liquid until onions are syrupy and spoon over tubes. Small stuffed squid or calamari tubes are ideal as a first course. Serve large ones as a main course with rice.
