Squid stew recipe (Stifado)

This is an authentic and popular stew dish in Greece.  The stew’s sauce is very moreish and the aromas during the cooking process are bound to capture everyone’s attention.  This dish is fantastic on its own and can be served with spaghetti, Greek fries or rice (risotto) as options.

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Ingredients

• 1kg squid

• 8 – 10 onions (medium size)

• 4 cloves garlic (crushed)

• spring onion (a bunch)

• red pepper (mild)

• celery (bunch)

• 1 can of tomato puree

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 teaspoon of hot chilli

• salt and pepper ( to taste)

• 2 bay leaves

• ½ cup of red wine

• olive oil

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Instructions

• Slice squid in half just below the eyes, separating the tentacles from the head; reserve tentacles.
• Holding the body, gently pull out the head, intestines, ink sac, and clear skeleton; discard innards.
• Rinse squid body and tentacles.
• Cut squid in the desired shape.

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Instructions

• Wash and clean squid, slicing into ring shapes.
• On high heat add olive oil to the pan, allowing oil to sizzle before adding onions (the mixture of quarter cut and whole).
• Stir onions through, allowing onions to brown before adding sliced red pepper – stirring through.
• Remove onions and red pepper mixture from pan adding squid to the pan, stirring through until juices of squid dissolve.
• Return onion and pepper mixture to pan, stirring through squid mixture.
• Cook for up to 10 minutes, constantly stirring.
• Add red wine, stirring into the mixture and covering the pan for 5 minutes.
• Uncover pan, stirring through the mixture and adding celery, chilli and tomato puree/paste combination.
• Stir through and covering the pan for a further 10 minutes.
• Check mixture to ensure the sauce is reducing, covering the pan for a further 5 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper (to taste), adding 2 bay leaves – stirring and covering the pan for a further 5-10 minutes.
• Turn heat off and allow stew to sit for a further 5 minutes before plating up.