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    Home » Recipes » Gluten Free

    Mediterranean cuttlefish stew

    Published: Sep 26, 2016 · Modified: Mar 28, 2023 by Makos

    Go to Recipe Print Recipe

    If you haven't tried cuttlefish stew before, this is the perfect recipe to start with. Very easy and simple, yet really delicious!

    cuttlefish_stew

    This dish reminds me a lot of home... Every time I make cuttlefish stew and put a plate on the table, I get the feeling that I'm in my parents' house, sitting at the dinner table while my mom serves each one of us with excess affection and my father cuts the bread with a big serrated knife. Maybe it's because this dish represents the genuine Cretan cooking philosophy.

    cuttlefish_stew_1

    During the past years, when my grandma was still young and my mom just a little girl, people in Crete didn't have a lot of amenities. Life was pretty rough. Women had to walk to the nearest stream to wash their family's clothes and  had to start a fire in order to cook everyday meals (makes you love your kitchen stove a little more, right?).I'm not even going to mention the lack of fridges and other modern appliances. In addition, access to a lot of goods such as exotic spices, herbs, certain seeds and cereals was somewhat limited. They settled with what they had. So, inevitably, they learned to use all of the available local products to their maximum. They'd use herbs harvested from the nearby mountains, local fruits, fresh meat/seafood and wild greens.

    I believe that the secret of Cretan cooking is treating your limited ingredients with respect. And by this, I don't mean talking to them politely :P.  I mean that you don't have to use a lot of different ingredients or an excess number of spices and herbs, trying to create complicated combinations of flavors. Here, magic is in simplicity. A few quality ingredients combined the right way, will enhance each other's flavor and create an amazing dish.

    cuttlefish_stew_2

    For this cuttlefish stew recipe, some cuttlefish, onions, a little wine and parsley will work wonders! (plus some salt and pepper obviously... please, freshly grated pepper). The low and slow simmering process ensures that you get very tender pieces with a delicious sauce. It's best served with some fluffy rice, french fries or mashed potatoes.

    Note that cuttlefish will shrink a lot during cooking. This is normal, since they contain a lot of water. Also, it is safe for the little kids to eat because all of the alcohol is evaporated during cooking.

    Share this post if you liked it (share buttons at the top!) and don’t forget to subscribe for new recipes or follow me on Instagram,   Pinterest,   Facebook

    Recipe

    cuttlefish_stew
    Print

    Mediterranean cuttlefish stew

    If you haven't tried cuttlefish stew before, this is the perfect recipe to start with. Very easy and simple, yet really delicious!
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Active Time50 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean
    Keyword: cuttlefish, recipe, stew, wine
    Yield: 4
    Calories: 434kcal
    Author: The Hungry Bites

    Ingredients

    • 3 pounds cuttlefish in one and a half inch square pieces approximately. Use the heads whole or cut in half.
    • 1 onion, finelly diced
    • 2 cups white or rose wine
    • ½ cup chopped parsley
    • 1 bay leaf
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

    Instructions

    • Rinse and clean the cuttlefish and let dry on a collander.
    • On high heat, saute the onion with the olive oil for 1 minute or until translucent.
      Add the cuttlefish, bay leaf and stir. They will water out. Wait until all of the water is evaporated, and add one cup of wine.
    • Reduce heat to low and simmer covered until tender (about 30-45 minutes). Check from time to time, and if the liquids tend to evaporate completely add a little hot water.
    • Add the rest of the wine, parsley, freshly grated pepper and salt and simmer uncovered for 5-10 more minutes until the alcohol has evaporated and liquids are reduced by half.
    • Turn off the heat and serve. Eat.

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    1. Zerrin Günaydın

      October 02, 2016 at 9:16 pm

      Mmmmm that looks delish! Can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Makos

        October 03, 2016 at 12:51 pm

        Thanks Zerrin! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Johanna

      April 29, 2018 at 9:15 pm

      I’ve eaten this in Crete for years and never without olives added to the stew. Where are the olives?

      Reply
      • Makos

        April 30, 2018 at 4:53 pm

        Hey Johanna,
        the only answer I can think of is that this is a different recipe, haha! 🙂
        Try it if you get the chance though, you'll like it!

        Reply

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    Hi, I’m Makos. I make traditional Mediterranean recipes more accessible to modern people. Sometimes I'll add a twist. Take a look!

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