| 1 | This, too, is a portuguese recipe++from the algarve. |
| 2 | It can be made with octopuses of any size. |
| 3 | Baby ones won"t need so much precooking. |
| 4 | Precook 600 to 800 g octopus in 200 ml red wine with a little water. |
| 5 | The octopus will exude liquid so that you are likely to end up with more cooking liquid at the end. |
| 6 | Retain this and add water to make it up to 600 ea ml. |
| 7 | Cut the drained octopus into small pieces. |
| 8 | Heat 150 ml olive oil in a large saucepan, add a chopped onion and cook gently, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes. |
| 9 | Add 2 garlic cloves finely chopped, 3 tomatoes, skinned and chopped, and a large green pepper cut into snips. |
| 10 | Season with salt, pepper and chilli powder to taste. |
| 11 | Cook for a few minutes longer. |
| 12 | Add the cooking liquid from the octopus and bring it to the boil. |
| 13 | Add 350 g rice (preferable 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. |
| 14 | After 15 minutes, stir to ensure the rice is not catching on the bottom of the saucepan. |
| 15 | In 5 minutes more, taste a grain or two to make sure it is soft. |
| 16 | The rice should still be quite damp. |
| 17 | Serve. |
| 18 | Makes 4 servings |
