Octopus Stew
This is a Spanish version of Octopus Stew. This dish is thoroughly simmered in white wine, garlic, onion, ginger, potatoes, celery, tomatoes and various herbs. Estofat De Pop I Patata, as this dish is called in Spain, is a delicious recipe that serves as a one-pot hearty meal and surprisingly, it is very simple to prepare!
Ingredients
- 1 large octopus (approx. weighing 1 kg)
- 2 large diced onion
- 1 large cubed tomato (core removed)
- ½ cup diced celery
- 4 tsp virgin olive oil
- 3 tsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 2-3 slivers of saffron (optional)
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cups cubed potatoes
- 1 tsp Tabasco (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
To prepare the Octopus
- Begin by boiling the Octopus in water for 10-12 minutes. This will make the octopus soft and lumpy and will also kill the germs. Boiling the octopus makes it easy to handle while cooking. If you are using a baby octopus, reduce the boiling time to 5-6 minutes.
- Next, cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces. Remove the beak and eyes. It is now time for marination.
- In a large pan, simmer the octopus along with 2 bay leaves and 1 diced onion. Let it simmer well for 45 minutes.
- After the octopus is perfectly shrunk and leaves aroma, drain it lightly. Reserve 4 cups of broth which will be added to the stew later on.
To prepare the stew
- Take a large pan and heat 4 teaspoons of virgin olive oil. Next, add onions and garlic and saute them by adding a pinch of salt. When the onions turn translucent, it is time to add the tomatoes, smoked and sweet paprika and celery. Cook for around 4-5 minutes till the tomatoes are soft.
- Add 1 cup of white wine and a bay leaf. Now, add in 4 cups of the marinated broth and the octopus. Let the stew simmer well for 45 minutes.
- Finally, add the chunks of potatoes into the stew and let it cook for 15 more minutes. The stew must come out thick and rich. Add in 2 tsp of fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp Tabasco, salt to taste and black pepper powder.
- Garnish the dish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.