Spanish Style Squid Stew

How to make a Spanish Style Squid Stew.

Ingredients: Serves 4

• 600g squid, cleaned and cut into 2.5cm pieces
• 200g chorizo, sliced thickly
• 2 x 400g cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 6 large ripe tomatoes, skinned, quartered and de-seeded
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 bay leaves, torn
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200ml Fino or Amontillado sherry
• 1 tsp saffron threads
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp finely chopped mint
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• Crusty bread and salad/greens, to serve

Method:

1. Put the squid in a casserole dish with the onion wedges, garlic cloves, tomato, chickpeas, bay leaves, paprika, oil, sherry and 300ml water.
2. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then cover and reduce the heat as low as it will go and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Take out the garlic cloves and set aside.
4. Add more water if the sauce is getting too thick.
5. Stir in the chorizo and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, toast the saffron threads in a small, dry frying pan over a medium heat, until they darken.
7. Put them in a mortar with the peppercorns and grind to a powder with the pestle.
8. Squeeze the cooked garlic cloves into the mortar and add 1 tbsp of the cooking juice.
9. Pound to a paste and stir this into the casserole.
10. Simmer for 5 minutes.
11. Stir in the herbs and then serve hot with the crusty bread, accompanied by salad or greens.