Charred Octopus Recipe

Clean & Tenderize

If your octopus isn't already cleaned, remove the beak and ink sac and rinse thoroughly. To tenderize further, freeze overnight and thaw before cooking if available. Trim any excess cartilage.

Simmer

Place octopus in a large pot with water, white wine (optional), bay leaves, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil) over medium heat. Simmer gently, partially covered, until octopus is tender when pierced with a knife, about 45–60 minutes depending on size. Start checking at 40 minutes.

Cool & Slice

Remove octopus from the poaching liquid and let cool slightly. Reserve 1 cup of poaching liquid. Pat the octopus dry with paper towels. Cut tentacles from the head and slice into 2–3 inch lengths, keeping some whole tentacle sections for presentation. Toss the pieces with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Char

Preheat a grill or a cast-iron skillet until very hot. Drizzle remaining 2 tbsp olive oil on tentacle pieces. Char the octopus on the hot surface, 1–2 minutes per side, until nicely blistered and slightly blackened at the edges. Remove and keep warm.

While octopus simmers, parboil the halved baby potatoes in salted water until just tender, about 8–10 minutes. Drain and let steam dry.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo (crumbled or sliced) and cook until browned and fat renders, about 4–5 minutes. Remove chorizo with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the oil in the pan.

Add parboiled potatoes to the skillet with chorizo oil, sprinkle smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss and cook, pressing slightly, until potatoes develop a golden crust, about 6–8 minutes. Return the chorizo to the pan, combine, and keep warm.

Rehydrate the guajillo chiles: remove stems and seeds, then place chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water for 15 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup soaking liquid.

In a blender, combine rehydrated guajillos, reserved soaking liquid, and 1/4 cup stock; blend to a smooth purée. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped shallot and minced garlic, sauté until softened and translucent, about 2–3 minutes.

Add the guajillo purée, remaining stock (about 3/4 cup), ground cumin, and bring to a gentle simmer for 3 minutes to deepen flavors.

Stir in the cooked white beans and warm through, gently breaking some beans with the back of a spoon to thicken the ragout. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Fold in chopped cilantro off the heat. If ragout is too thick, thin with reserved poaching liquid from the octopus, 1–2 tbsp at a time, to reach a spoonable consistency.

Combine apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves. Pour the hot brine over the thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof bowl or jar. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 30 minutes (preferably 1 hour) before serving. Drain before assembling.

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, minced garlic, fresh lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust acidity or salt. Refrigerate until ready to plate.

Warm the white bean & guajillo ragout in a shallow bowl or skillet. Spoon a generous pool of ragout onto each serving plate.

Arrange chorizo and crusted potatoes over the ragout. Place charred octopus tentacle pieces on top.

Dot or drizzle lime aioli around the plate or lightly smear a small quenelle beside the octopus. Scatter pickled onion over the top for brightness.

Finish with chopped cilantro leaves, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and a light sprinkle of smoked sea salt. Serve with lime wedges on the side.