In a large pot, combine water, white wine, bay leaves, halved garlic cloves, quartered onion, peppercorns and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low so the liquid is barely simmering.

Holding the octopus by the head, dip the tentacles into the simmering liquid three times (this helps curl the tips), then fully submerge the octopus. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 45–60 minutes (for a 1 kg octopus) until the thickest part of the tentacles are tender when pierced with a skewer. Start checking for doneness at 40 minutes. The octopus should be tender but not falling apart. Turn off heat and let the octopus cool in the poaching liquid for 20 minutes to retain moisture and flavor.

Prepare for char

Remove the octopus from the liquid. Reserve 100 ml of the poaching liquid to loosen the romesco if needed. Pat the octopus dry with paper towels. Trim into serving pieces (trim head if desired and portion tentacles into 5–8 pieces). Toss the pieces with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika to coat evenly.

Char

Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high (very hot). When smoking hot, place octopus pieces on the grill and char for 2–3 minutes per side until nicely browned and slightly crispy at the edges. Avoid overcooking—just develop color and char. Transfer to a plate and squeeze a little lemon over the octopus and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Romesco

In a food processor, combine roasted red peppers, blanched/toasted almonds, bread crumbs, 1 garlic clove, 2 tsp sherry vinegar, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika, 0.5 tsp kosher salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Pulse to a coarse paste.

With the processor running, stream in 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil until the sauce becomes smooth but still has some texture. Taste and adjust seasoning; if too thick, add up to 100 ml reserved poaching liquid (or water) a tablespoon at a time to reach a spreadable consistency. Transfer to a bowl and leave at room temperature.

Cannellini bean salad

In a medium bowl, combine the rinsed and drained cannellini beans, chopped roasted red bell pepper, finely diced red onion, chopped parsley and rinsed capers.

In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Pour dressing over the bean mixture and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let sit for 10–15 minutes for flavors to marry.

Greens & finishing

Toss arugula with 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt just before plating.

To assemble starters: Spoon a generous dollop (about 1–2 tablespoons) of romesco onto each plate, spread into a small pool. Place a small mound (about 1/2 cup) of cannellini bean salad slightly off-center. Arrange 2–3 charred octopus tentacle pieces over the romesco so they rest partly on the bean salad. Add a small handful of dressed arugula alongside. Finish with a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil over the octopus, a pinch of smoked paprika if desired, lemon zest and a few microgreens or chopped parsley for color.

Serve immediately while the octopus is warm. Leftover romesco can be refrigerated up to 4 days; keep beans chilled and dress right before serving.