Fast Cooking

1. Cut the tentacles into two to four pieces with a sharp knife for quick cooking, leaving each group of tentacles connected at the center for easy handling. Split the tube, or mantle, and cut it into strips or squares. Some cooks score it lightly in a grid pattern, severing muscle fibers and making the flesh more tender.

2. Season the squid pieces lightly with salt and pepper, then toss them in or mist them with a small amount of oil.

3. Saute or grill the pieces lightly at high heat for 30 to 60 seconds, until the pieces just turn opaque. Serve them immediately, or cool the pieces and reserve them for use in your favorite dish.

Slow Cooking

1. Cut the squid's tentacles and mantle into serving-sized pieces. Baby squid can be cooked whole.

2. Arrange the squid pieces in a baking dish or casserole, or layer them into the bottom of a Dutch oven. Add onions, garlic, sliced tomatoes, herbs, spices, or other aromatic and flavoring ingredients.

3. Pour in fish stock, vegetable broth, white wine, beer, tomato sauce or another suitable cooking liquid until the squid pieces are fully immersed. Simmer on the stovetop or in your oven until the squid is tender, approximately 60 to 90 minutes.

4. Serve the squid hot with rice or noodles, or allow them to cool and serve them in other dishes.

Serving Suggestions

1. Add grilled or sauteed squid to stir-fries, after the other ingredients are cooked.

2. Toss grilled or slow-cooked squid with pasta in white or red sauce. Grilled squid provides a chewy contrasting texture, while slow-cooked squid is firm but tender like al dente pasta.

3. Marinate the cooked squid in a vinaigrette and serve it as an appetizer with crusty bread. Alternatively, toss it with chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers and other marinated seafoods to make a salad.

4. Stir slow-cooked squid into risotto, or use it as a garnish on risotto that's cooked to a dramatic black color in squid ink.

5. Scatter rings of slow-cooked squid on a pizza with black olives, feta cheese and rings of red onion.

6. Stuff slow-cooked whole squid tubes as if they were canneloni, and bake them under a richly flavored sauce.