Octopus and Ceci Bean Zuppa with Escarole, Garlic, and Chiles

Name: Octopus and Ceci Bean Zuppa with Escarole, Garlic, and Chiles
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 2 bay leaves; 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced; 3 to 4 Calabrian chiles, stemmed and minced; 340 grams head escarole (about , cored; 158 milliliters extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing; 6 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife; 8 servings Kosher salt; 1 of Rind lemon, zested into strips using a vegetable peeler; 118 milliliters dried ceci beans (chickpeas)

You can never have too many side dish recipes, so give Octopus and Ceci Bean Zuppa with Escarole, Garlic, and Chiles a try. One serving contains 193 calories, 2g of protein, and 18g of fat. This recipe serves 8. This recipe covers 12% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. A mixture of bay leaves, lemon zest, ceci beans, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so flavorful. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 45 minutes. It is a good option if you're following a gluten free and vegan diet.

Instructions

Pick over the beans, removing any broken pieces and pebbles, and rinse well.

Ingredients you will need

Beans

Place in a bowl, add water to cover generously, and let soak for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

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Water

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Drain the beans, place in a pot, and add water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring the beans to a boil over high heat, adjust the heat to a slow simmer, and cook, uncovered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and remove from the heat.

Ingredients you will need

Beans

Water

Salt

Equipment you will use

Pot

Let cool completely, transfer the beans and their liquid to a storage container, and refrigerate overnight.

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Beans

Drain the beans, reserving their liquid. You should have 1 to 2 cups liquid, and you will need 2 cups for this recipe. If you have less than 2 cups, add water to the cooking liquid to bring it to 2 cups.

Ingredients you will need

Beans

Water

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1/3 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in 3 of the garlic cloves, the strips of lemon zest, 1 bay leaf, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until the garlic begins to soften.

Ingredients you will need

Garlic

Kosher Salt

Lemon Zest

Olive Oil

Bay Leaves

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add the octopus, stir to coat it with the oil, and then weight it down with a plate or lid to ensure it does not begin to float once it starts releasing its water. Cover the pot and adjust the heat to a gentle simmer. The octopus should start slowly releasing its water, creating its own braising liquid.

Ingredients you will need

Octopus

Water

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Pot

Cook for about 30 minutes and check to see how much braising liquid is in the pot. If it is about 1 cup or less (unlikely if you are using an uncooked whole octopus), add 1 cup of water. Check the tenderness and continue to cook for 30 to 50 minutes longer, or until almost completely tender. The octopus will dramatically decrease in volume.

Ingredients you will need

Octopus

Water

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Pot

Remove the pot from the heat and allow the octopus to cool in the braising liquid for 1 hour.

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Octopus

Equipment you will use

Pot

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Ingredients you will need

Water

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Pot

Add the escarole and cook for about 3 minutes, or until tender.

Ingredients you will need

Escarole

Drain well and when cool enough to handle, chop the leaves coarsely and set aside.

Place a colander over a large bowl. Once the octopus has cooled for 1 hour, transfer it to the colander. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring pitcher.

Ingredients you will need

Octopus

Equipment you will use

Sieve

Colander

Bowl

Add any extra liquid that has drained from the octopus into the bowl to the braising liquid. You will need 1 cup for the zuppa. Give the pot used to cook the octopus a quick wash and return it to the stove.

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Octopus

Equipment you will use

Stove

Bowl

Pot

Transfer the octopus to a large cutting board. Starting at the thickest point of the tentacle, slice into 1/4-inch-thick-pieces, increasing the thickness of the pieces as the tentacle becomes narrower. Halve the head, then cut it into 1/4-inch strips. Set aside.

Ingredients you will need

Octopus

Equipment you will use

Cutting Board

To prepare the zuppa, heat the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil in the cleaned pot over medium heat.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add the remaining 3 garlic cloves, the celery, the chiles, and the remaining bay leaf and stir well. Stir in the beans and the reserved cooking liquid. Stir in the octopus and the reserved braising liquid.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Garlic Cloves

Bay Leaves

Octopus

Celery