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Luciano Casini's Italian octopus stew recipe

April 26, 2017

The residents of the Italian island of Elba love seafood. Luciano Casini has owned the "Il Chiasso" restaurant in the town of Capoliveri since 1972. On today's edition of Euromaxx, Casini prepares an octopus soup.

https://p.dw.com/p/2bxge
Euromaxx Stills - alacarte Elba1
Image: DW

Elba speciality: octopus soup

Ingredients to serve four:

  • 2 stems of leek
  • 1 kg of octopus
  • 1 soup ladle of olive oil
  • 1 large potato
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary
  • 1 litre of water or, preferably, fish stock
Euromaxx Stills - alacarte Elba2
Image: DW

Preparation:
Remove the octopus' eyes and beak, then rinse under clear water. Using a large pot, boil for 30 minutes in slightly salted water. Chop the leek into fine rings. Heat the olive oil, then add and slightly braise the leek. Chop the potato into bite-sized bits. Pluck rosemary leaves off the sprig and chop finely.
Once the octopus is cooked, sever tentacles and chop up using a blender. Add this to the braised leek and add a litre of hot fish stock. Then add the potato and rosemary, and leave to simmer for an hour. Add salt to taste and serve piping hot.