Octopus and Spicy Chorizo Stew
This recipe is a variation of a Sardinian stew by the wonderful Valentine Warner. We loved it so much we wanted to share this amazing dish with you all.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 50ml olive oil
- 1 bulb garlic, cut in half horizontally
- 12 salad onions, white parts only, chopped lengthways
- 8 legs from a medium/large octopus
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 2 bay leaves
- sprig of thyme, leaves only
- 8 peppercorns
- 300g of fresh peas if available
- handful of fine, trimmed, green beans
- handful of cherry tomatoes
- 1 spicy Bath Pig cooking chorizo, sliced into 1cm pieces
- knob of cold butter
- 2 fennel leaves, finely chopped
Method
Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan (use a pan that has a lid). When the oil is just smoking, add the garlic bulb halves, cut side down. Add the onions and fry for 3 minutes until they go brown.
Add the octopus legs and fry for 30 seconds, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Add the lemon juice, the bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns, then cover the pan with a lid and continue to cook for 2 minutes more. The octopus should start to release their purple-pink juices.
Continue simmering for 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until the octopus is tender and offers no resistance when pierced with a knife. When the Octopus is stewed and tender, add the peas and cherry tomatoes. Make space in the centre of the pan and add the Bath Pig Spicy Cooking Chorizo and fry until the fat has melted, the and the slices are cooked. Mix the chorizo into the mixture and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Whisk in the cold knob of butter and sprinkle in the chopped fennel. Serve immediately.
