Octopus is one of my favorite sea-food. Especially in the summer – being light and refreshing.

But winter is good time for octopus as well. My wife often prepares it either as a salad or as a delicious stew traditional way. Being from Vis island, it is “in her blood” someone would say, since Vis is known for great sea-food and authentic meals. It is strange that people from Vis used to throw octopus away when caught thinking nothing good of it. That is particularly strange knowing that the fishermen in Dalmatia were able to cook “rock soup” : when stranded without food, on a deserted island or at seas, they would throw a rock in boiling water and cook a soup. And it would make a very tasty soup! The secret was that they would cook the rocks that had little holes with shells inside. Add some herbs and olive oil if you have, and that’s it!

Today we rarely go for something like that. Sea food is available on almost every market and Zadar “peškarija” or sea – food market is one of the best on this side of the Adriatic.

Octopus stew is a simple dish: olive oil, onions, garlic, prosecco and pealed tomatoes, salt and pepper. And octopus chopped to little pieces, of course. Cook for about an hour, till the meat is soft and that is it!

And it would not be good without a glass of good wine! Malvazija we picked up in Istria last week. Wonderful when chilled!