How To Cook Squid Two Ways With Sara Jenkins And Cathy Whims | Tasting Table NYC

Three minutes or thirty–that's the rule of thumb for squid.

Flash-cook or simmer low and slow.

With that in mind, we challenged chef-friends Sara Jenkins of NYC's Porsena and Porchetta and Cathy Whims of Nostrana and Oven and Shaker in Portland, Oregon to tackle the tentacled mollusks two ways.

Jenkins' speedy method involves searing the squid and topping it with garlicky toasted breadcrumbs and a squeeze of lemon (see the recipe). "The temptation is to move the squid around," Jenkins says. Don't! "By not moving them, you create two textures: The top steams and the bottom caramelizes."

Whims got turned on to slow-cooking squid the first time she tried inzimino (see the recipe), a Florentine stew of squid pieces, greens and chickpeas braised in tomatoes and red wine. "I love how it brings squid into an earthy realm."

And a wise reminder from Jenkins: "Fast or slow. Otherwise you're stuck in the middle of tough and gross."