This Octopus and Squid Casserole is a flavourful and hearty dish that’s perfect for seafood lovers. Inspired by Mediterranean flavors, it’s rich in spices and aromas, making it a delightful meal for special occasions or a cozy dinner at home. The combination of octopus and squid, slow-cooked with a medley of vegetables and spices, creates a tender and aromatic casserole that pairs wonderfully with bulgur wheat or couscous. This recipe might take a bit of time, but the delicious result is well worth the effort.
I go the idea for this recipe from a Yotam Ottolenghi cuttlefish stew recipe which was published in The Guardian. I adapted it quite a bit and replaced the cuttlefish with a octopus and baby squid combination.
Ingredients
- 400g – 500g octopus, cleaned and cut into 2cm pieces
- 400g – 500g baby squid, cleaned, bodies halved, with tentacles
- 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 large red pepper, cleaned and cut into 2cm pieces
- 1/2 large green pepper, cleaned and cut into 2cm pieces
- 6 garlic cloves, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 1 medium aubergine, cleaned, skin on, cut into 2cm chunks
- 1 celery stalk, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot, cleaned, peeled, and cut into small cubes
- 1 medium carrot, cleaned, peeled, and cut into 1cm slices
- 1 green chili, thinly sliced
- 2 dried chilies, shredded
- 3 allspice berries
- 15 black peppercorns
- 2 cloves
- 3 tsp fennel seeds
- 125ml tomato purée
- 250ml dry red wine
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 – 5 thyme sprigs
- 2 slices orange peel
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 anchovies, minced
- Oil
- Chopped thyme for garnish
- Grated orange peel for garnish
Method
Dry Fry the Spices: In a pan, dry fry the dried chilies, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, and fennel seeds until fragrant. Let them cool down and grind them in a pestle and mortar.
Sauté Vegetables: Heat oil in a large casserole (with a lid) over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and green pepper, and sauté until the onion is slightly soft.
Add Carrots and Spices: Add the small carrot cubes, fresh chili, garlic, and roasted spices. Stir well and cook for another 5 minutes.
Cook Seafood: Add the octopus and squid, and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Simmer: Add the tomato purée, wine, bay leaves, thyme, sugar, orange peel and anchovies. Stir well, bring to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.
Add Vegetables: Add the sliced carrots, aubergine and red pepper and mix well.
Bake Covered: Put the casserole in the oven and cook for 90 minutes with the lid on.
Bake Uncovered: Remove the lid and cook for another 30 minutes.
Rest: Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Serve: Serve with bulgur wheat or couscous, and top with chopped thyme and grated orange peel.
Notes
The octopus and squid can be replace with any combination of cuttlefish, octopus and squid.
