Fish Guide
Fresh Calamari in Saranda: How to Buy, Clean and Cook It
Fresh calamari is almost unrecognisably better when genuinely fresh. Frozen or day-old squid is rubbery and tough. Fresh squid, bought the same morning it was caught, is tender, sweet and cooks in minutes.
Ionian calamari tends to be smaller than Atlantic squid — bodies 10-20 cm — with clean white flesh and delicate flavour. Specifically worth asking about when you visit the counter.
How to identify fresh calamari
- Skin: purplish-grey, mottled and intact — not pale or slimy
- Body: firm, not flaccid
- Eyes: clear and full, not sunken
- Smell: sea-fresh, not fishy or ammoniac
Cleaning
We will clean it at the counter. If doing it yourself: pull the head from the body, remove the transparent quill, peel the skin if desired, rinse under cold water.
Cooking methods
Grilled: Score the body in a crosshatch, brush with olive oil, grill 2-3 minutes on high heat.
Fried: Rings or whole small squid, dusted in seasoned flour, fried in very hot oil for 90 seconds. Serve with lemon.
Stuffed: Bodies filled with breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley and a little cheese, then baked. A traditional preparation along the Albanian coast.
Rruga Idriz Alidhima 230, Sarande - Open every day 8:30 AM to 10 PM