Unless you boil it in oil, you're not going to get the cooking medium hotter than 212 degrees F. Simmering is just below a boil, with a few bubbles rising now and then. So if you're using an electric cooker, turn it all the way up to get the liquid boiling faster, then turn it down to around 200 once you've added the calamari. I never thought about using a slow cooker, since I usually sauté mine, but that's actually a good idea. Oh, and don't forget to salt the water well.
Undercooked probably won't make you sick, anyway. Iirc, the most likely pathogens are parasites, and they would have been killed by the freezing.
Gunnar and KYH raise a good point: make sure they are well-cleaned. If they were frozen uncleaned (you'll know: they'll be inky), after they thaw, pull everything out of the inside and rinse well. Even cleaned, they might still have some quill. (I had to clean fresh ones every day. Yuck.)
__________________
Co-Moderator, Cooking Questions
"Notorious stickler" -- The New York Times, January 4, 2004 |