Rice with octopus - El Cuaderno Azul

This octopus rice stew is a dish full of flavour and tradition, perfect for lovers of the sea. The tender texture of the octopus and the well-spiced broth blend together to create an unforgettable culinary experience.

Ingredients:

1 octopus of approximately 1 kg
400 g bomba rice
1 large onion
1 red pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 ripe tomatoes (or 200 g crushed tomatoes)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 bay leaf
1.5 litres of fish stock or water
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Elaboration:

Step 1: Cook the octopus
- Cooking the octopusFill a large pot with water and add the bay leaf. When the water is boiling, immerse the octopus three times so that the skin sets and then let it cook for 30-40 minutes, until tender. Remove the octopus, set aside, and save the cooking water.
Step 2: Prepare the sofrito
- Sauté the vegetablesFinely chop the onion, garlic and red pepper. In a large pan, add a dash of olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until golden brown. Then add the pepper and cook until tender.
- Add the tomatoGrate the tomatoes or use crushed tomatoes and add to the pan. Cook over medium heat until the tomato is reduced and a thick sauce forms.
- PaprikaAdd the sweet paprika and stir well to integrate the flavours, taking care not to let it burn.
Step 3: Add rice and octopus
- Add the riceAdd the rice to the pan and stir for a minute to soak up the sofrito.
- Add the brothPour in the hot fish stock or the reserved octopus cooking water. The quantity should be approximately three times the volume of rice to obtain a brothy rice.
- CookingCook for about 18-20 minutes in total. When there are about 10 minutes left add the octopus in pieces.
Step 4: Adjust flavours and serve
- Test and adjustTaste for salt and pepper, adjust to taste and leave to stand for five minutes before serving to allow the flavours to settle.

Processing time:

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 60 minutes
Total1 hour and 20 minutes

Additional advice:

If you want to reduce the preparation time, without making the dish less tasty, you can cook the octopus in a fast cooker. Put the octopus in the pot without any water or other ingredients. Cover the pot, place over high heat and when the two pressure rings appear, lower the heat to the minimum and cook for 7 minutes. Remove the pot, wait for the pressure to drop, open the pot and drain the octopus completely. Reserve the octopus and the cooking water separately.
You can add a few prawns or clams to further enrich the flavour of the rice.
If you prefer a spicier point, add a chilli pepper to the stir-fry.

Calories and nutritional data (per approximate serving):

Calories: 350 kcal
Proteins: 25 g
Fats: 10 g
Carbohydrates: 45 g

Dare to prepare this octopus rice and enjoy all the flavour of the sea in one dish! If you try it, let us know how it turns out, we're sure everyone will love it!