squid casserole - just the biscuit for a refreshing change from meat

Squid & Potato Stew with Rouille

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes - Total Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

4 Covers

Ingredients

750g prepared large squid cut into rings

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, halved & thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, sliced

60ml cognac

1 red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

2 medium tomatoes, skinned & sliced

1 tablespoon tomato purée

1 pared strip of orange zest

1 sprig of thyme

1 bay leaf

2 'petals' of star anise

180ml dry white wine

600ml chicken stock

250g evenly sized waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte, peeled and quartered lengthways

5 tablespoons rouille

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Slices of pain rustique (rustic white bread) to serve

Instructions

Clean the squid and cut the pouches across into 1cm thick rings, and the tentacles and wings into similar sized pieces.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large deep frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and fry gently until soft but not browned. Add the cognac, light it with a match and shake the pan until the flames have died down. Then add the red pepper, tomatoes, tomato puree, orange zest, thyme, bay leaf, star anise, white wine and stock and bring up to a simmer.

Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan, add half the squid and a little seasoning and stir fry over a high heat for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Add to the sauce and repeat with a little more oil and the rest of the squid.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, part cover the pan and leave the stew to simmer gently for 1 hour, until the squid is tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened.

Meanwhile, put the potatoes into a pan of well salted water (1 teaspoon per 600ml), bring to the boil and simmer for 7-10 minutes until just tender. Drain well and set aside.

When the squid is tender, remove the orange zest and pieces of star anise from the stew, add the potatoes and simmer for 5-10 minutes so that they take on some of the flavours.

Meanwhile, make the rouille. Take the pan of stew off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of the liquid from the stew to the rouille.

Mix well and stir it back into the pan, but don't put the pan back over the heat or it might curdle.

Adjust the seasoning if necessary, sprinkle with parsley and serve with plenty of bread.

Rouille

Makes about 300 ml (10 f l oz)

25 g (¼ oz) slice of day-old white bread, crusts removed

A little fish stock or water

3 fat garlic cloves, peeled

1 egg yolk

250 ml (9 fl oz) olive oil

Blend the bread and garlic, then add the egg and olive oil and blend until smooth.