Parsley, squid and cannellini bean stew

Name: Parsley, squid and cannellini bean stew
Ingredients: 1.5kg squid, the smallest you can find/baby octopus; Extra virgin olive oil; 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped; 5 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley; 600g tinned peeled tomatoes, drained of half their juice; Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper; 150g dried cannellini beans, cooked (or just do a can, who are you trying to kid...... i.e. 2 x 400g cans, drained and rinsed); 2 dried chillies, crumbled; 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed; 80ml white wine; To serve-; Chillies in oil -; 3 large fresh red chillies, seeded and chopped; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 lemons; Clean squid and remove the beak and the soft blade from inside.; If they are super tiny, keep them whole (same for baby occy*). If they are bigger, slice the bodies and their legs in half or more (yeah!).

Everyday Cooking

Simmering Italian-inspired

Cook recipe

"Many thanks to those wicked women at the river café in London, init.."– Iain Dawson.

One of the best pairings in Italian food is aniseed and seafood – the fennel seeds shine here. This dish transports you to Italy for lunch. I really appreciate the cooking method here, where the sauce and beans are cooked and heated separately - this allows the squid (must be fresh) to be cooked fast and hot to ensure the squid remains tender and fresh. Plus I love the simple addition of chillis in good extra virgin olive oil on the side – great idea!

A great meal in summer when you feel like something a little hearty, or can be spread out amongst a crowd as part of a tapas spread.

Serves 6. GF.DF.

Pictured: Parsley, squid and cannellini bean stew

Ingredients

1.5kg squid, the smallest you can find/baby octopus
Extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
5 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
600g tinned peeled tomatoes, drained of half their juice
Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g dried cannellini beans, cooked (or just do a can, who are you trying to kid...... i.e. 2 x 400g cans, drained and rinsed)
2 dried chillies, crumbled
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
80ml white wine
To serve-
Chillies in oil -
3 large fresh red chillies, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons
Clean squid and remove the beak and the soft blade from inside.
If they are super tiny, keep them whole (same for baby occy*). If they are bigger, slice the bodies and their legs in half or more (yeah!).

Method

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil and add half the garlic. Allow it to colour, then add the tomatoes and 2 tsp of salt. Reduce over a moderate heat for 30 minutes until you have a thick sauce. Stir occasionally.

Heat the beans in their liquor (add some stock if they are canned, i.e. 1 cup).

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large thick bottomed frying pan, and add the remaining garlic, dried chilli and fennel seeds. Cook until the garlic begins to brown then add the squid, salt and pepper. Fry to colour the squid, then add half the parsley, the wine and the tomato sauce. Finally add the hot beans and the remainder of the parsley.

Test for seasoning.

Pictured: Parsley, squid and cannellini bean stew

Serve with fresh chilli marinated in extra virgin olive oil drizzled over a wedge of lemon and some crusty bread.

Pictured: Fresh Squid