Group items tagged

Ingredients750g octopus1 head of garlic3 bay leaves3 sprigs of thyme1 chilli175g white wine2 onions4 tbs olive oil250g risotto rice200g peeled and chopped tinned tomatoes 2 tbs chopped flat parsley1 tsp pimento (piccante)1 tsp chopped garlic1 tbs lemon juice½ tsp flaked sea salt

Method● Rinse the octopus in cold water. Place it in an oven tray on top of the bulb of garlic sliced in half, the bay leaves, thyme, chilli and white wine. Cover and seal with aluminium foil and then place in a medium oven (150ºC) and cook for one hour. Test with a sharp pointed knife for tenderness. ● Once the octopus is cooked, remove from the tray and leave to cool. Strain the cooking juice, saving the two pieces of garlic. Peel and chop the onion very finely. In a large casserole warm half the olive oil and add the chopped onions, letting them stew very gently for 15 minutes. Add the rice, season well and stir until the rice starts to stick before adding the tomatoes and stirring those in turn. Squeeze the sweet pulp out of the cooked garlic cloves and add these to the rice before slowly adding the cooking liquor. Proceed to make a risotto in the usual way, adding water at the end if there is insufficient cooking liquor to cook the rice.● While the risotto cooks, separate the octopus tentacles, cutting them in half if they are very large, and cut the heads into four pieces. Toss these pieces with the remaining olive oil. In a large bowl, make a paste from the parsley, pimento, chopped garlic, lemon juice and salt. ● Just before the rice is cooked, heat a flat dry griddle pan until quite hot and lay the octopus pieces in it, letting them sear for two minutes before turning them and searing on the other side. Once hot and nicely browned, remove and place in the bowl with the parsley mixture. Serve the risotto on to six plates with the griddled octopus pieces on top.

Magret en Croûte de Lavande 2 duck fillets or magrets, about 400 grams (14 ounces) each 4 teaspoons unsprayed dried lavender flowers (check with the vendor that the lavender is safe for consumption) 2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds The zest of one lemon, finely chopped 2 teaspoons fleur de sel 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Serves 4. Slash a few diagonal cuts in the skin of the meat. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a small mortar or spice grinder, and pestle or process until finely ground. Sprinkle this rub on the flesh side of the meat, wrap each piece tightly in plastic, and chill for an hour. Remove the meat from the fridge 15 minutes before serving. Preheat the oven to 200° C (400° F), and place the fillets or magrets (without the plastic wrap!) skin side down in a baking dish. Slip into the oven to bake for 15 minutes, flip the meat, and return into the oven for 5 minutes. If desired, you can switch the oven to grill mode at this point to get the skin crispy and golden. Transfer the meat on a cutting-board, and reserve the cooking juices. Cover the meat with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut each fillet in 1-cm (1/2-inch) slices, drizzle with the juices, and serve with mashed purple potatoes.