SLOW-COOKED OCTOPUS WITH EGGPLANT & TOMATO

Richly coloured and deeply flavoured, this braise is great to eat warm or at room temperature. Because this is slow cooked, you don’t need to bother pre-cooking the octopus first.

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Instructions

1.	Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise, cut each piece into quarters lengthwise and cut into 6 cm pieces.
2.	Heat some oil in a wide saucepan and fry the eggplant in batches until golden (it doesn’t need to be cooked all the way through). Remove and set aside.
3.	Add more oil to the pan and add the onion and fry for a few minutes until golden.
4.	Cut the octopus tentacles into 10-12cm pieces and slice the head into pieces. Pat dry.
5.	Add to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes then add the garlic and oregano and cook for a minute.
6.	Add the red wine and reduce by half, add the tomatoes and cook, covered, on a low heat for 25 minutes.
7.	The octopus will release some liquid as it cooks but if necessary add a splash of water to the pan.
8.	Add the eggplant and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the octopus is tender.
9.	Season to taste and scatter with parsley to serve.
10.	Serve with the grilled bread.