Nº 77 · Fish & Prawns · serves 4
Cuttlefish with Peas and Potatoes
In Spain: Sepia con guisantes
Cuttlefish slowly braised until butter-soft with tomato, white wine and sweet peas: an Andalusian coastal classic for the slow cooker.
Ingredients serves 4
Tick off what you already have at home.
Budget tip: frozen pota (squid) instead of cuttlefish (approx. €3)
PescaderíaMercadonaMercado municipal
Aisle: pescadería / congelados. Ask for 'sepia limpia en trozos'; frozen cuttlefish is fine for stews too.
Any supermarket
Aisle: frutería. Look for 'para guisar/cocer' on the bag; these hold together better.
Any supermarket
Aisle: frutería. Loose or in nets; purple garlic (ajo morado) is often the most aromatic.
MercadonaCarrefourPescadería
Aisle: caldos y sopas. Fish stock in cartons is common; fishmongers may give heads and bones for homemade stock.
MercadonaLidlMAS
Aisle: aceites. Andalusia is olive oil country: even own-brand oils are good value, often sold by the litre.
Any supermarketMercado municipal
Aisle: frutería. At the market parsley is sometimes thrown in free with your veg; just ask.
To serve
Method
- 1
Put the diced potato in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pat the cuttlefish dry, fry it in hot olive oil for 3 minutes and spoon it over the potato.
- 2
Soften the onion and garlic in the same pan for 5 minutes. Deglaze with the wine (optional), let it reduce for 2 minutes and add the passata and stock.
- 3
Pour this over the cuttlefish and add the bay leaf. Cook for 4–5 hours on LOW or 2–3 hours on HIGH, until a fork slides in easily.
- 4
Stir in the peas for the last half hour; they can go in frozen. Put the lid straight back on.
- 5
Fish out the bay leaf, taste for salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley.
Flavourful Cooking · slowcookerspain.com/en/recipes/cuttlefish-with-peas-and-potatoes/