Octopus

Sprutovye or octopuses are the representatives of cephalopod mollusks of a suborder of Incirrina living in more thickly waters, some of them meet only at big depths.

In the nature there are about 200 species of octopuses, some of them are poisonous. Their immediate family are squids and cuttlefishes, and distant – all Castropoda and clams.

The sacculate body of an octopus is called a cloak, it soft and short, behind oval, and is ahead spliced with the large head in which upper part big prominent eyes are located.

At an octopus of 8 long and brawny, covered with suckers feelers located around the tiny mouth surrounded with two chitinous jaws – the beak necessary for crushing of food. In a drink of a mollusk the special grater – a radula thanks to which food frays in gruel as entirely the octopus cannot swallow big pieces is located.

It is remarkable that at this mollusk 3 hearts, first of which drive blue blood on all his body, and two others push blood through gills.

Octopuses have unusual ability – they can change a form as in their body there are no bones, and color, thanks to the cells which are contained in his skin with various pigments which under the influence of impulses from TsNS can stretch or contract. Usually these mollusks of brown color, however if to frighten them – the color will become white if to anger – red.

Earlier ink of mollusks was used by mankind for the letter, today from them receives light brown dye – sepia which is used by the artists and photographers doing "semi-antique" pictures. Meat of the fresh or frozen octopus is used for preparation of dishes in many countries of the world.

Nutrition value of an octopus

In 100 g of meat of an octopus contains:

• Proteins – 30 g;
• Carbohydrates – 4,4 g;
• Cholesterol – 96 mg;
• Saturated fats – 0,5 g;
• Monounsaturated fatty acids – 0,3 g;
• Polyunsaturated fatty acids – 0,5 g;
• Sugar – 0 g;
• Lipids of 2,1 g;
• Sodium – 460 mg;
• Potassium – 630 mg;
• Food fibers – 0 g;
• Retinolum – 300 ME;
• Vitamin C – 8 mg;
• Vitamin D – 0 mkg;
• Calcium – 106 mg;
• Iron – 9,5 mg;
• B6 vitamin – 0,6 mg;
• B12 vitamin – 36 mkg;
• Magnesium – 60 mg.

Caloric content of 100 g of meat of an octopus makes 164 kcal. Meat of this mollusk, at the correct heat treatment, is a rich source of vitamins, proteins and amino acids. On counters of grocery stores and the markets it is possible to find the frozen octopus, the content of useful substances in whom, because of freezing, much smaller in comparison with a fresh analog.

It is important to know how to prepare an octopus, cases of food poisoning by meat of these mollusks not a rarity. Besides, as well as in any other seafood to contain in it microscopic parasites whose extermination requires careful heat treatment.

The use of octopuses in food

In many countries meat of octopuses is ingredient for preparation of national dishes. So, in Japan it is added to sushi and takoyak or eaten live, cutting thin pieces and eating within several minutes while muscles of feelers konvulsirut.

In Spain an octopus it is accepted to cook, in Tunisia from it cook salads, on Malta extinguish it and stuff with vegetables, and also cook spaghetti with sauce from ink of this mollusk, in Andalusia give in garlick sauce or prepare on a grill.

Octopuses – recipes

Before preparation of any dish according to described below recipes, octopuses need to be washed out carefully from the remains of slime and ink. Traditional Portuguese for a feyzhoad for which main ingredients are meat and haricot many gourmets are preferred to be prepared with seafood, including with mollusks.

For preparation of a dish according to the recipe, an octopus (1,5 kg) it is necessary to weld with addition in water 1 tbsps of olive oil and 1 bulb, and also in advance to wet 1 glass of haricot, then to dry and weld on slow fire. In a pan or a cauldron it is necessary to extinguish 5 cloves of the crushed garlic, 4 cut bulbs and 3 cut by carrots circles in 6 tbsps of olive oil and 2 tbsps of melted lard. Vegetables with salt and black pepper to taste are seasoned, and is closer to the end of suppression joins a half-glass of white dry wine, and it is carried to boiling. The octopus cut by pieces and ready haricot are added to vegetables, filled in with a glass of water and stewed on slow fire. In 20 min. several spoons of haricot need to be pulled out and crushed a fork, then to put back in a feydzhoada and to extinguish before solidification of weight. The ready dish moves with small cut parsley.

Not less tasty dish is the octopus in white wine. It is necessary for its preparation for 1 kg of the fresh or frozen octopus cleared of suckers, the head, interiors and a beak and also from slime and ink, to lower for several seconds in boiled water. In parallel in a stewpan 4-5 tbsps of olive oil which the cleared carcasses of a mollusk keep within are warmed and are slightly fried for 7-10 min. 2 bulbs cut by thin rings, 20-25 g of the crushed peanut, salt and spices to taste are added to a semi-ready octopus, 85 ml of dry white wine mix up and filled in. The stewpan is closed by a cover, the dish to pine in it on weak fire of 15 min.

In China is prepared the stuffed octopus whose recipe of preparation is quite simple, it is possible to reproduce a dish in house conditions even for the beginning culinary specialist. Before preparing an octopus, he needs to be washed out and removed carefully a dark thin skin, feelers are left. First of all it is necessary to weld 100 g of shrimps, to cut in small cubes 2 tomatoes, 1 stalk of onions shallot and 50 g of a tuber of fennel, to mix with each other, to add to them 60 g of leaves of an oregano and a basil, to season with salt, dry garlic and pepper to taste. The octopus gives all the best on a teflon baking sheet, everyone his feelers is stuffed with the received mix from shrimps and vegetables. The mollusk, ready to baking, is greased with butter and slightly pours down red wine (a quarter of a glass). It is baked in an oven of 15-20 min.

Today meat of an octopus is ingredient for preparation of a set of dishes, beginning from the Japanese sushi and finishing with various salads. Correctly prepared mollusk not only is very tasty, but also is useful, it is rich with protein, vitamins B, C and D, and also the Omega-3 the unsaturated fatty acids playing an important role for maintenance of health of the person.