Cuttlefish
Sepia apama (Giant Cuttlefish)
Sepia pharaonis (Pharaoh’s Cuttlefish)
Other Names
Golden cuttlefish, Smith's cuttlefish.
Family
Sepiidae (cuttlefish).
Description, Location, Habitat and Harvesting Information
Available wild-caught, these marine and estuarine dwelling cephalopods have an almost oval body with very narrow fins around the edges, 8 short arms and 2 much longer tentacles. They are found right around the Australian coast; the Giant Cuttlefish over reefs, seagrass beds and open grounds to a depth of 50m, and other species in sheltered estuaries over seagrass and reefs or offshore on the continental shelf to about 110m. Pharaoh’s Cuttlefish is a by-catch of Prawn trawling, while Giant Cuttlefish and other smaller species are targeted in southern waters mainly by trawlers. In NSW and Queensland smaller quantities are also caught using beach seines and traps.
Season
Available year round.
Size and Weight
Commonly 150g and 10cm mantle length, but can grow to over 5kg and 52cm.
Price
Low priced (usually cheaper than most Squids and Calamari).
Relations
There are about 10 species of Cuttlefish found in Australian waters. They are related to Squids, Calamari and Octopus in that they are all cephalopods, differing from them in having broader, thicker bodies and shorter arms than Squids and Calamari, and a thick calcified internal shell (‘cuttlebone’, often seen in birds’ cages).
To Buy
When purchasing fresh whole Cuttlefish look for intact bright skin, intact head, arms and tentacles and a pleasant fresh sea smell. Cleaned tubes should be white without any brown markings.
To Store
Make sure Cuttlefish is gutted and cleaned thoroughly. Wrap in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months below -18ºC.
To Cook
To clean whole Cuttlefish: rinse, especially if ink sac is broken. Grasp cuttlefish bone between thumb and forefinger and twist towards yourself, the cuttlebone will cut through the hood and come away easily, discard. Using your thumb to split the firm flesh away from the membrane, tear hood open along the line where the cuttlebone was, starting from the base. Working from one side, break intestinal sac and legs away from the hood. Place hood flat on a board, skin-side up, grasp small flap on one side and, using your thumb to separate skin from flesh, peel skin back. Wipe firmly with paper towel or damp cloth to remove any remaining membrane. To use arms and tentacles, cut below the eyes and push beak (mouth) out from between the arms. Slice hood into strips, or score in a hatch pattern (called ‘honeycombing’) and slice into larger chunks. It is also possible to cook Cuttlefish without peeling it, the skin will turn a dark purple as it cooks. Average yield is 80%. It has a mild, subtle flavour, low-medium oiliness, and is dry with firm texture, which can be tough if poorly prepared. The flesh is translucent when raw and white when cooked.
Cooking Methods
Steam, poach, deep-fry, pan-fry, stir-fry, bake, braise, grill, barbecue, raw (sashimi). To be tender, Cuttlefish must be cooked very quickly over high heat or very slowly over low heat. The flesh of the mantle, arms and tentacles is suitable for a wide variety of preparations, strips can be dusted in seasoned flour and deep-fried or marinated and char-grilled or stir-fried. Cuttlefish ink is the traditional ingredient in black risotto or pasta (rather than that of Squid or Calamari).
Goes Well With
Black beans, capers, capsicum, chilli, fresh herbs, garlic, ginger, green onions, lemongrass, lemon, lime, mushrooms, olive oil, olives, pasta, polenta, potato, rice, soy sauce, tomato.
Alternatives
Squids, Calamari and, in some recipes, Octopus.
Imports
Various species of Cuttlefish are imported, mainly from South East Asia, whole (cleaned, frozen and dried), as ‘steaks’, ‘cuttle crackers’ and shredded.
Recipes