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Octopus 3 Ways

Name: Octopus 3 ways
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 kg octopus; 1 tbsp black pepper corns; 4 tbsp cider vinegar; 2 bay leaves; 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 3 tsp dried oregano

THE STORY

Who doesn’t love a bit of octopus?

With this recipe, you can probably cook octopus even if you haven’t cooked anything in your entire life. And you can do it in 3 different ways.

Cooked in its own juices, it maintains its tenderness and flavour.

Also, contrary to boiling it, your kitchen won’t smell like seafood!

THE RECIPE

Octopus 3 ways

Delicious octopus cooked in its own juices and finished in 3 different ways

Whole cooked octopus served on a fish-shaped plate, garnished with fresh oregano and olive oil

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings 3 starters

Ingredients

For the 1st stage cooking

1 kg octopus
1 tbsp black pepper corns
4 tbsp cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp dried oregano

Method

Preparing the octopus

Rinse the octopus thoroughly under cold water. Make sure you do rinse each tentacle individually and clean all the suckers.
Lay the octopus on a chopping board.
Cut just above the eyes to separate the head.
Turn the head inside out and remove all the interiors.
On the part with tentacles, cut just below the eyes. Throw away the part with the eyes.
Spread the tentacles and remove the beak.
Rinse everything under cold water.

1st stage cooking

Preheat your oven at 180°c.
Put your octopus in an oven dish.
Add in the olive oil, cider vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns and oregano.
Cover with aluminum foil.
Cook for 45 minutes.
TIP: Adjust this time to the weight of your octopus. This recipe is for a whole 1kg octopus. If your octopus is smaller it will need less time to cook.
The octopus is fully edible at this stage, but you can inject some more flavour with the three methods below.

A - Grilled octopus

Separate the tentacles.
Grill for 2-3 minutes over high heat on a well heated griddle pan or, even better, on your barbecue.
Don't forget: The octopus is already cooked. We are just giving it some colour and flavour.

B - Deep fried octopus

Fill a pan with enough oil to cover your octopus at least half way.
Heat to 180˚c.
Fry the octopus for 30secs to 1 minute.
Remember: The octopus is already cooked. We are just giving it some colour and flavour.

C - Marinated octopus

Cut your octopus into bites and place in a glass jar.
Add a branch of fresh thyme or oregano.
Fill the jar with vinegar and extra virgin olive oil (50:50 ratio)
Store in the fridge.

seafood recipe, seafood recipes, summer recipes