I first encountered the combination of squid and white beans in the famous tapas bar Bar Pintxo in the Boqueria market of Barcelona. There, tiny white runner beans are the bed for squid seared on a screaming hot flattop; a sauce of olive oil and the squid's ink gives the whole plate a round, salty tang. In a country of incredible food, it remains one of the best things I've eaten. More

As great as white bean salads are, they need a partner to make a full dinner. I've seen a few variations over the years, but I was particularly interested in this recipe from Leslie Glover Pendleton's Simply Shellfish, because it pairs the beans with squid. More

Sausage and cephalopods are two ingredients that, to me, always work together. And if you use your imagination it's not a far leap to think of a cleaned squid body as the ocean's sausage casing. Squid are creatures that need to be cooked hot and quick, or low and slow to get the best results, so once you add the squid to the tomato sauce, make sure to give it the time it needs. The best test of when the squid is done cooking is taking it out of the pan and giving it a try. To me, fork-poking a slow cooked squid doesn't give an accurate portrayal of its state. More

Usually when I find myself frying up pieces of squid it's for some kind of Mediterranean dish. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) But this stunning sandwich from Tom Colicchio's 'wichcraft instead looks to New Orleans and Mexico for inspiration. The po' boy is drizzled with black chile oil and layered with avocado slices before being topped with handfuls of crispy squid. More

Cooking squid requires some special patience, as it needs to be cooked until white, but if you wait too long it'll turn into a rubbery little monster. But in this recipe from Jonathon Waxman's A Great American Cook, the squid just needs a few seconds in the scorching skillet, so it's easy to whip up. The sauce is made from rice wine vinegar, oil, and a whole bunch of aïoli, which gives each bite a garlic kick. Everything is then tossed with crisp greens. I found some amazing mizuna at the market, which worked perfectly. More

The rounds don't come out stunningly golden-brown, but the squid is so tender and light that it's really not an issue. They tasted like no squid I've ever had. In fact, they're so good, the marinara isn't really needed even if it does work. I chose to use it simply because it's how I grew up eating the dish. Some aioli wouldn't be bad. But honestly, with a nice squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of salt, these are set. More

This fast and inexpensive seafood salad combines calamari with the common partners of tomato and lemon, but also with the unusual sweetness of tarragon and mint, the robust kick of hot pepper, and the oaky, salty crunch of roasted almonds. It's light, bright, and perfect for the hot weather. More

Squid is one of the cheapest and easiest things to cook. Luckily it's also really tasty. This recipe puts a Korean twist on the squid with soy sauce, garlic, hot pepper powder, and sugar. It comes out spicy and aromatic. Less squid squeamish now? More

"The light sauce allows the unctuous, sea-flavored pasta to really shine through." Since most of us have at least a little time off for the holidays, I thought it might be fun to include a final recipe for our Feast... More

[Photograph: Blake Royer] Fall is the one time of year I really look forward to getting my vitamins. When the season is in full swing, I cook up a batch of simple sautéed greens almost every night. Kale, collards, chard—doesn't... More