Squid

A shellfish that is a member of the cephalopod variety of mollusks. There are three main species found in the United States, the long-finned, winter squid and the short-finned, summer squid found on the East Coast and the opalescent squid, also called California or Monterey squid, found on the West Coast. The giant squid is another species that is imported from Argentina, Mexico and Japan. Squid is sweet, with a firm but tender texture when cooked properly. Octopus can be used as a substitution if squid is not available. Squid is also called "calamari."