A taste of the Mediterranean
We’ve teamed up with Villa Plus this year to rustle up some Mediterranean inspired dishes that you could cook if you head out to one of their self-catering villas in 15 European destinations.
Here’s our recipe for Xante-style slow-cooked Octopus which we cooked in the falling heat of our woodfired oven but you can do it in a conventional oven too or cook it very gently on the hob. If you can’t get octopus, squid or cuttlefish will work just as well. People are fascinated by these sea creatures and our Fabulous Fish course students love learning all about them.
Enjoy some Mediterranean warmth with our recipe in the Winter chill!
A deliciously different way to cook octopus, squid or cuttlefish
1kg cleaned octopus, squid or cuttlefish
1 green pepper
15ml olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
180ml red wine
600ml chicken or shellfish stock
30g cornflour
30g pitted and chopped black or green olives
1bsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and pepper
- Heat the oven to 150C/Gas 3.
- Slice the octopus (or squid or cuttlefish) into 1cm strips.
- Mix all the ingredients together in a large ovenproof pan and season well with salt and pepper.
- Put the lid on the pan so it’s well sealed, put it in the oven and shut the door.
- Come back in two hours, take the lid off the pan and test that the octopus has become tender. If it needs a bit longer, put the lid back on the pan and cook until it’s ready.
- When it is, sprinkle a little more chopped parsley over the slow-cooked octopus and serve with good bread and a green or tomato salad. Add a glass or 2 of white wine and some friends and it’s a great dish for sharing and making memories. Enjoy!