Octopus stewed in red wine

Ingredients

• 500g octopus
• 350g red wine
• 1 half orange
• 1 head garlic
• 70g kusksu
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 lemons
• 2 small onions
• 1 small carrot
• 1Tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 1Tbsp currents
• 3 sprigs parsley
• 2 sprigs basil
• 1Tbsp kunserva
• 2Tbsp tomato polpa
• 1Tsp capers 1
• 10 caper berries
• 4 bay leaves
• Salt, as needed
• Black pepper, as needed
• Olive oil, as needed

Method

1. In a pot place the octopus, thyme, orange, red wine, half of the garlic, one onion skin on, bay leaf and black pepper to taste. Place on a high heat and boil for 2 hours, topping up with water whenever needed.
2. Check to see if the octopus is cooked. If cooked leave it cool in the liquid for around 30 minutes.
3. Peel the skin off the tentacles and reserve them for later use. Chop the head into small cubes and reserve for later.
4. Place a second pot of boiling water on a high heat, and season well with salt. Boil the kusksu for roughly 5 minutes.
5. Remove the kusksu and refresh with cold water to stop the cooking.
6. Add a little oil in a sauté pan and place on a low heat. Start by peeling and chopping the carrots and onions and cook on a low heat with some salt. Cook till soft.
7. Chop the garlic into slices and add them to pan along with 4 basil leaves, cook for an extra 2 minutes.
8. Add the chopped octopus and the braised skin. Sauté for around 5 minutes on a low heat. Next add the kunserva and cook for a further 30 seconds.
9. Add the octopus stock and the chopped tomatoes to the sauté pan and cook for around 5 minutes till the stock and polpa have reduced by half.
10. Add the currents, capers, pine nuts and par-cooked kusksu to the pan, add a splash of olive oil and stir constantly till the mixture resembles a risotto.
11. Chop the basil and parsley and add them to the pan.
12. Transfer the kusksu to a plate and top with cleaned octopus, caper berries and more fresh basil & toasted pine nuts.
13. Serve as needed.

This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, June 2019

Watch the full episode below: