QUESTION: Fish and seafood: how to clean shrimp/squid and remove the odor?

Processing seafood such as shrimp and squid often causes difficulties due to their specific aroma and the need to maintain kitchen hygiene. When working with delicacies, absolute safety and proper process engineering are ensured first: the operability of plumbing, ventilation, and cold water supply is checked, and only then do culinary processing and dish decoration begin. This sequential algorithm of actions guarantees the absence of hidden problems and unpleasant odors in the room.

To properly clean shrimp, first gently remove the head and shell, moving from the legs to the tail, or leave the tails for presentation aesthetics depending on the recipe. Be sure to make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp's body and remove the dark intestinal vein using a toothpick or the tip of a knife, as it can taste bitter. Rinse the peeled shrimp under a stream of ice water and dry them with paper towels.

Cleaning squid requires a quick thermal approach: lower the carcasses into boiling water for a few seconds, and then immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Due to the sharp temperature drop, the thin skin will instantly curl and easily come off the meat with a light movement of the hands. After this, all that remains is to remove the entrails, the transparent chitinous gladius, and thoroughly rinse the inside of the squid.