Grilled Octopus
Favourite way to cook octopus is to boil it until it is tender, and then to lightly grill it or put it under the broiler.
Chefs around the world are always looking for new ways to cook octopus. Fish mongers in Italy beat the octopus against the rocks by the sea to tenderize it before cooking it. However, beating octopus against rocks just wasn't always feasible. Instead, bag the octopus and ran it through the spin cycle in the washing machine. This preparation created the most tender octopus ever made yet. Continuing with this unorthodox method of tenderizing the octopus! And for some reason, adding a wine cork to the cooking pot is also said to tenderize octopus.
To serve your cooked octopus, simply drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, or a light citrus vinaigrette as is shown in the photo. This octopus can be eaten exactly as shown as an appetizer or as an entree, or it can also be used chopped into pieces with other ingredients as part of a delicious seafood salad.
Serves 4 As An Entree, 6 As An Appetizer
2 Pound Octopus
1 to 2 Wine Corks
1 Cup White Wine
1 Lemon, Halved
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Fresh Chopped Parsley
Sea Salt & Cracked Black Pepper
In a saucepan large enough to hold the octopus, add one half of the lemon, a wine cork, and the cup of white wine. Add enough water to cover the octopus and cover with a lid. Heat on a stove burner on high, and once boiling reduce the heat to a slow boil. Cook under the octopus is tender when pierced with a fork. Shut off the heat and allow the octopus to cool in the cooking water to room temperature.
Remove the tentacles from the head and if you want, cut the head into pieces as well. Drizzle the octopus pieces with a little olive oil and mix to lightly cover. Heat up the grill or broiler, and cook until the edges begin to brown and crisp. Drizzle on a little more olive oil, squeeze the remaining lemon on top, and sprinkle with chopped parsley and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
