Baby Squid in Olive Oil

Lota is a Canadian conservas brand canned in Portugal — a project built on the craft tradition of the Iberian canning industry and a Canadian vision for bringing premium preserved seafood to a North American audience. The name lota refers to the fish market or auction house in Portuguese fishing communities: the place where the Atlantic catch changes hands before it is preserved and shipped to tables far from the coast.

Baby squid in olive oil is one of the great preparations of the Iberian conservas tradition — a product that rewards the patience of the format in a way that few other seafood preparations do. Small, whole squid are cleaned and packed in olive oil with salt, then left to rest. Over time the olive oil softens and permeates the squid, and the texture becomes tender and silky in a way that fresh or quickly cooked squid rarely achieves. The flavour is clean and oceanic — mild and sweet, with the gentle richness of good olive oil and the pure, uncluttered character of the squid itself. A tin that tends to surprise people who expect something more assertive: the subtlety is the point.