Octopus Stew
Cape Verde pronounced [ˈkabu ˈveɾdɨ] located in Western Africa is a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean west of Senegal. Cape Verde is slightly larger than Rhode Island. The once uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa’s most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde’s expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.
An easy Cape Verdean Meal:
Octopus Stew
Yields 4-6 servings
2 lbs. fresh or thawed octopus
2 whole bay leaves
1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 cups of water or seafood stock
l tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon minced garlic
l medium onion
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Cut octopus into small pieces and place in a pot with bay leaves and oil. Saute on medium heat 4-5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and stew on medium low stir occasionally for 20 minutes.
