Seafood potjie
Squid either needs to be cooked very quick or for a long time in order to stop it being rubbery. Here we cook it for a long time which makes it meltingly tender and so flavourful. For the mussels I use ready prepared UV treated mussels here as I find it works better but please feel free to use fresh if that is your preference.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1½ large finely chopped onions
120g chorizo, sliced
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp chipotle chilli flakes (optional)
2 tbsps tomato puree
400g pulped tinned tomatoes
400ml seafood or chicken stock
2 heaped teaspoon sugar
Black pepper (10 turns or ½ tsp ground)
1 tsp ground oregano
300g squid rings (or calamari tubes)
400g fresh or frozen prawns, shelled
400g scallops
400g mussels
4 tsp finely chopped parsley
Salt
Method
Place the potjie on your fire and add the oil and chorizo. Cook for a 3-5 mins until starting to go golden and all of the chorizo oil has come out and coloured the oil that gorgeous vibrant red. Add the onions, stir and cook for another 3 mins or so then add the garlic and chilli flakes if using and cook for a further min. Add the tomato puree, stir through and cook for a further min before adding the tinned tomatoes, stock, sugar and black pepper and cook as you stir gently for a few minutes for the sauce to thicken before adding the squid. Cover with a lid and cook gently for 45 mins, stirring from time to time and topping up with stock if needed
Add the prawns, stir, cover and cook for 2 mins and then add the scallops, stir through and cook for a further 2 mins before adding the mussels and cooking for roughly 5 mins until the shells are opened and the mussels cooked. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed, add the parsley, stir and serve with baguette or crusty bread.
If you do not have a potjie pot or want to cook this inside, use a heavy based cast iron pan and cook on the hob over a medium low heat for the times mentioned above.