Pulpo A La Plancha Recipe

Clean and tenderize

If your octopus is whole and not pre-cleaned, remove the beak and eyes and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. If desired, freeze and thaw beforehand to help tenderize (skip if already pre-tenderized).

Simmer

In a large saucepan or pot, combine 2 liters water, 125 ml white wine, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbs peppercorns and 2 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer and submerge the whole octopus. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 45–60 minutes depending on size (for a 1 kg octopus start checking at 40 minutes). The octopus is cooked when the thickest part of a tentacle is easily pierced with a knife but still tender, not mushy. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, then remove octopus and let cool until manageable.

Portion and marinate

With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, separate the tentacles from the head and cut into 2–3 pieces per tentacle depending on thickness. Toss the pieces in a bowl with 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika, minced garlic, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tbs chopped parsley, and a pinch of black pepper. Let rest 10–15 minutes to absorb flavors. (Reserve any extra cooking liquid to loosen the dressing if desired.)

Preheat plancha or grill

Heat a heavy cast-iron griddle, plancha, or skillet over high heat until smoking hot. Add 1–2 tbs olive oil and let it shimmer.

Sear the octopus

Working in batches if necessary, lay the marinated tentacle pieces on the hot surface and sear without moving for 1.5–2 minutes until charred on the contact side. Flip and cook an additional 1–1.5 minutes to get good caramelization and slightly crisp edges. Total searing time should be about 3–4 minutes per piece depending on thickness.

Finish and season

Transfer seared octopus to a platter, drizzle with the remaining 1 tbs olive oil, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and the remaining chopped parsley and a grind of black pepper. If the octopus seems dry, brush with a teaspoon or two of the reserved cooking liquid.

Prepare grapefruit and vegetables

Segment (supreme) the grapefruit: using a sharp knife, cut off top and bottom, slice away peel and pith, then cut between membranes to release individual segments over a bowl to catch juices. Thinly slice fennel bulbs on a mandoline or sharp knife and very thinly slice the red onion. Place fennel, grapefruit segments, red onion and mixed greens into a large bowl.

Make vinaigrette

In a small bowl or jar whisk together 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbs sherry vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness as desired. If you reserved any octopus cooking liquid, you may add 1 tsp to the dressing for an oceanic nuance (optional).

Dress and toss

Pour dressing over the fennel, grapefruit and greens and toss gently to combine, taking care not to break grapefruit segments. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Plate and garnish

Arrange dressed salad on individual plates or a serving platter. Top with toasted sliced almonds (if using), sprinkle chopped fennel fronds and a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Reserve a few grapefruit segments and a couple of tentacle pieces to place on top for presentation (optional).

Divide the fennel and grapefruit ensalada among 4 plates. Place 3–4 seared octopus tentacle pieces on each salad or arrange whole tentacles across the greens for dramatic presentation. Finish with an extra pinch of flaky sea salt, a few turns of fresh black pepper and a small drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately while octopus is hot and salad is cool.