Fish
Squid and Harissa Stew
There are only 2 ways to cook squid, very fast or very slow; anywhere in the middle and you get the rubberband texture that puts many people off for life. A gentle but lengthy putter in a pan, combined with the acidity of the tomatoes, helps to tenderise it perfectly. Make sure you use the tentacles; they may look a bit sinister and sci-fi but are as equally delectable as the white flesh, if not more so. This stew is easily added to. Some chickpeas or fried chorizo never goes amiss, or you can ramp it up into a full-on fish stew; simply fold some mussels and diced white fish through for the final 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 2 red onions, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp harissa
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 1 large glass of white wine
- 400g squid, cleaned and sliced
- 200g passata
- 200ml fish or vegetable stock
- 100g black olives
- 2 red peppers, roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped
Method
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Step 1
Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan and gently fry the red onions for 10 minutes, until starting to soften.
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Step 2
Add the garlic, paprika, harissa, bay and chopped tomatoes. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the white wine and allow it to reduce by half.
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Step 3
Stir in the squid, passata, stock and olives. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 45 minutes.
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Step 4
Fold in the red peppers for the final 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning to finish.