Polvo guisado à açoriana
Polvo guisado: Azorean octopus stewed in red wine with allspice and potatoes
On Pico and Terceira, octopus caught among the black volcanic rocks is stewed slowly in red wine with onions, garlic, allspice and a spoonful of pimenta da terra, until the pieces are tender and the sauce is dark and rich. It is a dish for village festas and cold winter Sundays, ladled over potatoes with bread on the side. The recipe uses red wine; for an alcohol-free version, use water with a tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Chef's tip: buy frozen octopus, or freeze fresh octopus for a day; freezing breaks down its fibres and makes it far more tender.
- Total time
- 125 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Fresh ingredients (5)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rinse 3 ⅓ lb octopus and cut it into pieces about 4 cm long, slicing the head into strips.
Step 2: Warm ¼ cup olive oil in a heavy casserole over a medium heat and cook 2 onions and 5 garlic cloves for 8 minutes until soft and golden.
8 minStep 3: Add the octopus and stir for 5 minutes. It will turn pink and give off plenty of liquid; don't add salt yet, as octopus is naturally salty.
5 minStep 4: Stir in 2 ripe tomatoes, 1 tbsp pimenta da terra, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 6 allspice berries and 2 bay leaves, then pour in 1 cup red wine and ¾ cup water. Bring to a simmer.
3 minStep 5: Cover and cook over a low heat for 50–60 minutes, stirring now and then. A common mistake is boiling octopus hard: it seizes and turns tough, so keep it at a gentle bubble.
60 minStep 6: Add 1 ¾ lb waxy potatoes, pushing them under the sauce, and simmer covered for 25–30 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and a knife slides into the thickest octopus piece with no resistance. Taste and add salt if needed.
30 minStep 7: Rest for 5 minutes off the heat, scatter with 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and serve in deep bowls with bread.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does polvo guisado à açoriana take?
- About 125 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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