Baked octopus and potatoes

A long time ago, and I do mean a loooong time ago, octopuses had only one leg. In fact, they were called monopuses. Also, they lived on land and were furry, had whiskers and purred like cats. Many believe that they were actually the true ancestors of the feline race, and proof has survived in the suffix of their name. Be that as it may, monopuses were quite clumsy. They had difficulty reaching higher, thus safer grounds; their mouths were too round to bite another animal; and their eyes were weirdly enough placed at the sides of their heads so that they constantly bumped into stones and rose bushes whenever they managed to gather enough strength to lift their one suction-cup-studded leg off the ground and hop away. Also, the lack of skeleton didn't help. However, because they so often bumped their mono-heads one stone and lost stone flip-flops on the beach, they developed a fierce intelligence. And so it was that the first Monopus-Council was called. Naturally, it was attended by monopuses of several generations later, since the journey was a long one and monopuses didn't have a long life expectancy (mainly due to their inaptitude at life).
One day, however, every monopus in the world had gathered on a beach. And this is in summary what they said: "Evolution hath made a mistake. It hath been most unfair. We therefore must compound a letter and sent it onto her, for thus our lives may not continue.  Godammit."
And so it was that Evolution, that old prankster, got the letter, read it, and decided to act upon it. A few days later, the monopuses woke up with eight legs instead of one and no fur. Yet their mouths were still wrong and their eyes weird. Their superior intelligence however told them that their new habitat was to be the sea, and so they set out towards the water, hoping in a better future and a more dignified life. Most of them drowned (they hadn't taken into account their lack of a breathing apparatus). And those who didn't were picked up by primitive men, thrown on primitive stone tablets along with primitive potatoes and shoved into primitive ovens that still burned with primitive volcano fire.
This particular recipe was found on a primitive stone tablet, and is believed by not that many scientists, actually, to be the first ever recipe. In fact, it is a prehistoric recipe, since before this story, it didn't even exist. Enjoy.



Baked octopus with potatoes  Recipe adapted from Vefa's Kitchen

- one octopus, medium-large size
- 6-7 potatoes, medium-small (more or less same quantity of octopus and potatoes)
- 10 date tomatoes
- extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- oregano
- 1/4 glass of white wine
- salt

Clean and cut the octopus in 4-5 cm long pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut them in wedges (8 wedges per potato). Cut the tomatoes in slices. Heat some oil in a pan, add the halved garlic cloves and let them fry for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes and quickly cook for 4-5 minutes, season and add the oregano. Set aside. Preheat the oven at 180°C.
Arrange the octopus and potatoes in a baking tray, and pour the wine and the tomatoes with their juices on top. Add also a little water to keep the octopus moist. Bake it for 45min-1hour, until the octopus and the potatoes are soft and the liquids reduced.

Note: While baking, check the octopus from time to time and, if necessary, add some water to keep it moist. When the octopus is almost ready, do not add other liquids and let the juices reduce.


Polipo e patate al forno Ricetta adattata da Vefa's Kitchen

- un polipo medio grande
- 6-7 patate medio piccole (ok, si sara' capito che per questo tipo di ricette io non peso gli ingredienti, comunque visivamente tante patate quanto polipo)
- una decina di pomodorini datterini
- olio evo
- 2 spicchi d'aglio
- origano
- un quarto di bicchiere di vino bianco
- sale

Pulire il polipo e tagliarlo a pezzi lunghi 4-5 cm. Pelare le patate e tagliarle a spicchi (8 spicchi per patata). Tagliare i pomodorini a fettine. A parte scaldare un po' di olio in un pentolino, aggiungere gli spicchi d'aglio sbucciati e tagliati a meta' e quando l'olio si sara' insaporito aggiungere i pomodorini. Lasciar insaporire per 3/4 minuti, salare e aggiungere l'origano. Scaldare il forno a 180 C.
In una teglia, disporre il polipo e le patate, salare, dare un giro d'olio e mescolare bene. Versare i pomodorini appassiti con il loro sughetto sopra. Aggiungere il vino e un fondo d'acqua. Infornare e cuocere per 45min/ 1ora, finche' sia il polipo che le patate saranno morbidi e i liquidi asciugati.

Note: Controllare durante la cottura che il polipo sia sempre bagnato, altrimenti secchera', mescolare di tanto in tanto e aggiungere un po' d'acqua se necessario. Quando il polipo e' quasi cotto, non aggiungere piu' liquidi in modo da far restringere il sughetto.

Bombay Aloo

Once upon a time Celestial Dragon sneezed. He sneezed so hard that his dragon-snout actually grew longer by several inches. He sneezed so hard that the fire he breathed out Kamehameha'd an entire continent. In fact, it burnt the continent so badly that for a number of millennia nothing ever grew on it. Then, one day, Celestial Dragon felt sorry for what had happened and took pity. Especially on himself. That is why he decided to shorten his snout. Also, he thought he would make amends for the involuntary destruction of an entire section of the world by bringing about the glory it would have evolved into had he not burned it in the first place. And so it was that an entire subcontinent was reborn in a single second, without anyone anywhere being aware it had never existed in the first place. That is the power of dragon magic.
It was such an explosion of colours smells perfumes thoughts laughter tears music life and joy that Celestial Dragon was completely overwhelmed by it. He staggered a few steps backwards, so (literally) taken aback was he. Divine Cherry, in her eager curiosity, then proposed they visited the new continent. And what a surprise it was! The people; the flowers; the cities; the food. Especially the food. Divine Cherry was surrounded by myriads of new recipes. In her frenzy to get a taste of them she ate everything she could find. She tasted every single dish this new world was offering. And among all of those news flavours, this one stood out in particular:


Bombay Aloo - Recipe adapted form "Delicious.- Mar 2012 "

- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 50g butter
- 2 chillies
- 20 curry leaves
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 taspoons black mustard seeds
- 1 taspoon fenugreek seeds,
- 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 kg potatoes, cut in 2-3cm cubes
- 1 table spoon lemon juice
- sea salt and fresh coriander

In a heavy-bottom pan put the oil, butter, chillies, curry leaves and the chopped onion, cook until tender (3-4 minutes). Add all the spices, stir well, cover and let to cook for a minute or two. Add the potatoes, stir to coat all the pieces and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Cover the potatoes with boiling water until just covered (it should be 600 ml of water more or less), add the lemon juice and salt and let it cook for 15-20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Serve with some fresh coriander.

This recipe partecipates to a "celebration of indian Food" on Lisa's kitchen
Bombay Aloo - ricetta adattata da "Delicious.- Mar 2012"

- 3 cucchiai di olio vegetale dal sapore neutro
- 50 g burro
- 2 peperoncini
- una ventina di foglie di curry
- 1 grossa cipolla finemente tritata
- 1/2 cucchiaino di semi di cumino
- 2 cucchiaini semi di senape neri
- 1 cucchiaino di semi di fieno greco
- 1/2 cucchiaino di curcuma
- 1 cucchiaino di garam masala
- 2 peperoncini, verdi e freschi se si trovano (io ho usato 2 peperoncini secchi rossi)
- 1 cucchiao di succo di limone
- acqua bollente.

In una pentola dal fondo spesso, mettere la cipolla ad apassire per 3-4 minuti con l'olio, il burro, i peperoncini e le foglie di curry. Aggiungere tutte le spezie e far insaporire per un paio di minuti. Aggiungere le patate a tocchetti, e farle insaporire nelle spezie, girarle qualche volta in modo da coprirle bene con le spezie. Coprire le patate con acqua bollete: le patate devono essere appena coperta, versare il succo di limone e il sale. Portare a cottura e far assorbire tutta l'acqua. Servire con del coriandolo fresco.

Fishcakes - Tortini di pesce

Think of your favourite thing in the world. Think of something you want really really bad, like a pony if you're a girl or a car if you're a boy. Now imagine it is just behind that door. Can you feel the excitement? Can you feel your pulse starting to race? Can you feel how your entire being is yearning to go towards that door and open it because you know that behind it lies the object of all your desires? Now visualise yourself opening that door. The endless turning of the handle, the whispered creak of the joints, the darkness that lies behind it. Now you peer into the darkness, trying to pierce it with the light of your wanting. But you decided to hit the switch instead. Much easier indeed. And now, finally now, you behold whatever it is you want, and you discover that it is so much better than what you had expected.

Well, let's say you were Celestial Dragon, and let's say that thing we've been talking about was fish. And let's say that the door to the attainment of that desire is the kitchen door. And that the switch with which you illuminate your life is actually Divine Cherry. And that thing that is better than what you wanted are fishcakes.

And in your magnanimity, in your infinite joy and happiness, you decide to share the recipe for those sublime fishcakes. Well done, you, because lo and behold, the recipe has appeared just underneath this text. Do enjoy.

Fishcakes

Ingredients

- 300g of coley or a similar fish

- a handful of shrimps

- 400g of white potatoes

- a handful of capers

- half an onion

- 4-5 spring onions

- a glass of milk

Steam the potatoes in their skins. Meanwhile, cook the fish in a pot covered with milk until it peels off in flakes, and when it's almost ready, add the shrimp and cook for a few seconds. Drain the fish and the shrimps, but save a little milk. Finely chop the onion and the spring onions, and put the capers in a cup of water. Drain and peel the potatoes.
Take a large bowl and mash the potatoes coarsely with a fork while still hot, add the chopped fish, shrimps, chopped onions, chopped capers, salt, pepper and mix well. If it seems to be dry, add a little milk you used for cooking the fish. Form large meatballs and a press them a little in order to give them the shape of an hamburger. In a separate plate, lightly beat the egg. Dip the 'hamburgers' the in egg, then roll it quickly in breadcrumbs. Proceed so until all ingredients have been exhausted. In a large frying pan heat a little of seed oil and fry the patties for about ten minutes. Serve warm.

On the side: stir-fried broccoli with extra virgin olive oil, a clove of garlic, 2 anchovies and lemon zest until tender.

Ricetta in italiano:

Tortini di pesce (per 6 tortini della dimensione di un hamburger)

Ingredienti

- 300 g merluzzo o altro pesce azzurro

- una manciata di gamberetti

- 400 g patate a pasta bianca

- una manciata di capperi

- mezza cipolla

- 4-5 cipollotti giovani e piccoli

-un bicchiere di latte

Cuocere a vapore le patate con la buccia. Nel frattempo, in una pentola cuocere il pesce coperto con il latte, fino a che si sfalda in fiocchi, quando e' quasi pronto aggiungere i gamberetti in modo da cuocerli per qualche secondo. Scolare pesce e gamberetti, salvando un po' del latte di cottura. Tritare finemente la cipolla e i cipollotti, dissalare i capperi in una tazzina d'acqua. Sbucciare le patate cotte.

Prendere un ciotola capiente e schiacchiare grossolanamente le patate ancora calde con una forchetta, aggiungere i pezzetti di pesce, i gamberetti, la cipolla tritata, i capperi sminuzzati salare, pepare e impastare. Se dovesse risultare asciutto, aggiungere un po' del latte di cottura. Formare delle grosse polpette e schiacciarle un po' in modo da dare la forma di un hamburger. In un piatto a parte sbattere leggermente un uovo. Immergere velocemente il tortino nell'uovo e rotolarlo poi nel pangrattato. Procedere cosi' fino ad esaurimento ingredienti. In una padella capiente far scaldare un po' di olio di semi e rosolare i tortini per una decina di minuti. Servire caldi.

Io li ho accompagnati con dei broccoli saltati in padella con olio evo, uno spicchio d'aglio, un paio di acciughe e finiti con una grattatina di buccia di limone.

Note: Di solito nelle ricette di fishcakes,  e' sempre indicato di aggiungere un uovo nell'impasto per renderlo piu' fermo. Probabilmente le mie patate erano molto asciutte, comunque non e' servito. Voi regolatevi ad occhio, se non riuscite a formare delle belle polpette che tengano la forma, aggiungetelo! :)

Enjoy,

And Spread the Mess