Crete Style Octopus Stew With Fennel And Green Olives

[Bill McIntyre]

CRETE STYLE OCTOPUS STEW WITH FENNEL AND GREEN OLIVES

3 pounds octopus
1/2 cup olive oil
10 to 12 green onions, thinkly sliced into rounds
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large bulb fennel, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup cracked Mediterranean green olives, rinsed and pitted

1. Cut away head of octopus with sharp knife. Squeeze out mouthpiece and discard. Place octopus in medium-sized stewing our soup pot. Cover and cook over lowest possible heat until octopus turns bright-pink and softens, 30 tp 40 minutes. Octopus should exude enough liquid to keep from drying out, but add salted water to pot if necessary to keep octopus from burning.

2. Remove octopus with juices, discard juices, and set aside a few minutes to cool slightly. Heat olive oil in same pot and add green onions and fennel, stirring a few minutes until translucent.

3. Meanwhile, cut tentacles into 2-to-3 inch pieces and cut octopus center into similarly sized chunks. Add garlic to pot, then octopus.

4. Pour in wine and season to taste with pepper. Cover and simmer over very low heat for one hour, adding wine or more water if necessary. Octopus is done when very tender. Add olives last 5 minutes of cooking. Season to taste with salt. Serve over polenta.