Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
1 to 2 hours
Serves
Serves 4

From Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the harissa
- 1 roasted red pepper, from a jar in oil
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- pinch saffron strands
- 2 medium hot red chillies, stalks removed and roughly chopped
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
For the rouille
- 25g/1oz slice white bread, preferably a day-old, crusts removed
- 20–30ml/¾–1fl oz fish stock
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 free-range egg yolk
- ¼ tsp salt
- 250ml/9fl oz olive oil
For the squid and potato stew
- 750g/1lb 10oz large squid, cleaned and cut into 1cm/½in thick rings/pieces
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 60ml/2fl oz cognac
- 1 red pepper, seeds removed and thinly sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes, skinned and sliced
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 pared strip orange peel
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 star anise petals
- 180ml/6fl oz dry white wine
- 600ml/21fl oz chicken stock
- 250g/9oz small, evenly-sized waxy potatoes (such as Charlotte potatoes), peeled and quartered lengthways
- 6 tbsp rouille (see above)
- 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh parsley
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- rustic white bread, to serve
Method
To make the harissa, put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
To make the rouille, cover the bread with the fish stock and leave to soften. Squeeze out the excess liquid and put the bread into a food processor with 2 tablespoons of the harissa, the garlic, egg yolk and salt. Blend until smooth, then, with the machine running gradually add the oil until you have a smooth, thick mayonnaise like mixture.
To make the squid and potato stew, heat 3 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry gently until soft but not browned. Add the cognac, light it with a match and shake the pan until the flames have died down. CAUTION: Keep your face and hair away from the flames. Do not leave unattended. Add the red pepper, tomatoes, tomato purée, orange zest, thyme, bay leaf, star anise, white wine and stock and bring up to a simmer.
Heat another tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a separate frying pan, add half the squid and a little seasoning and stir fry over a high heat for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Add to the sauce and repeat with the last tablespoon of olive oil and the rest of the squid. Season to taste with salt and pepper, part-cover the stew with a lid and leave to simmer gently for 1 hour, until the squid is tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened.
Meanwhile, put the potatoes into a pan of well salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 7–10 minutes until just tender. Drain well and set aside.
When the squid is tender, remove the orange zest and pieces of star anise from the stew, add the potatoes and simmer for 5-10 minutes so they take on some of the flavours.
Take the pan off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of the liquid from the stew to the rouille. Mix well and stir the rouille back into the pan, but don’t put the pan back over the heat or it might curdle.
Adjust the seasoning if necessary, scatter over the parsley and serve with plenty of bread.