Spanish-style squid stew recipe

Seafood, tomatoes, chorizo, red wine and veggies... this colourful stew is packed with flavours

Ingredients

• 1kg (2¼lb) baby squid, thawed if frozen
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed, plus extra cloves garlic, halved
• 1 small chilli, halved and deseeded
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• Finely pared rind of 1 orange
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
• 350ml (12fl oz) red wine
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 225g (7½oz) chorizo sausage ring, cut into 1cm (½in) slices
• 12-18 black olives
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Ciabatta or other country-style bread, sliced

Method

1. Pull the tentacles and head out of the body of the squid. Cut the heads off and discard them, keep the tentacles. Check there are no quills inside the bodies. Rinse and drain, then cut into thick slices and chill.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chilli, thyme and bay leaves. Squeeze the orange rind over the pan as you add it. Cover and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper and cook for a further 2 minutes.
3. Pour in the wine, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes to reduce the sauce.
4. Heat a large frying pan, add the chorizo slices and quickly brown them on both sides. Use a draining spoon to take them out and add to the stew, leaving the oil in the pan. Heat the pan again and cook the squid in four batches over a high heat for about a minute each batch. Add the squid to the stew with the olives. Add more oil, if you need it, and season to taste.
5. Toast the bread on both sides and rub each slice with the cut side of the extra garlic cloves, and serve with the stew.