Ingredients
Scale
- 1 bunch wild fennel (leaves and stalks, coarsely chopped or 2 fennel bulbs, finely sliced)
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
- 2–3 cup cracked green olives (Cretan)
- 3–4 tbs olive oil
- 1 kg or 2.20 lbs. fresh octopus or 2–3 smaller ones
- 240 ml or 8.44 fluid ounces dry red wine
Instructions
- If you buy a frozen octopus, simply defrost it, wash it and then boil it in a covered, nonstick saucepan over low to medium heal without adding any water.
- If it’s fresh, have the fishmonger clean it.
- Fresh or frozen, it will cook in its own juice, but if it stops exuding liquid before becoming tender, pour in a little of the wine.
- Watch the pan carefully as it will reabsorb its liquid.
- Add wine whenever the pan appears to be drying.
- When the octopus is tender, remove it from the saucepan, allow to cool and cut into bite-sized pieces, removing the eyes and beak; set aside.
- Add the oil to the saucepan, gently sauté the fennel and parsley for a few minutes before you return the octopus pieces with the rest of the wine.
- Simmer until you have thick sauce.
- Stir in the olives and cook another 10 minutes.
- You can use squid instead of octopus. Vary the cooking times accordingly.
- Category: Seafood
- Cuisine: Greek