The Delicacies Department

	Portugal
Arroz de Polvo  or  Octopus Rice	1 kilo Octopus  1 cup of Red wine  3/4 cup of Olive oil  1 Onion -- chopped   2 Garlic cloves -- finely chopped; 3 Tomatoes -- skinned & chopped  1 large Bell pepper, green -- chopped  Salt -- to taste  Pepper -- to taste  Chilli powder -- to taste  500 g Rice, short grain

Precook octopus in red wine with a little water. The octopus will exude liquid so that you are likely to end up with more cooking liquid at the end.

Keep this and add water to make it up to 2-1/2 cups. Take away the octopus and cut them into small pieces.

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan; add a chopped onion and cook gently, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes.

Add garlic, tomatoes, and pepper. Season with salt, pepper and chilli powder to taste. Cook for a few minutes longer.

Add the cooking liquid from the octopus and bring it to the boil. Add rice (preferably a short-grain risotto rice like arborio) and bring back to the boil, then turn the heat very low and put the lid on the saucepan.

After 15 minutes, stir to ensure the rice is not catching on the bottom of the saucepan. In 5 minutes more, taste a grain or two to make sure it is soft. The rice should still be quite damp.