Mediterranean Octopus* Recipe

Clean and tenderize

If your octopus is whole with ink sac and beak intact, remove the beak and the head contents (if not already cleaned) and rinse under cold water. To help tenderize, you may freeze and thaw beforehand (many store-bought are pre-frozen). Trim the tip of the head if needed and remove any excess skin.

Simmer

In a large pot large enough to hold the octopus, add 10 cups water, 2 tbs kosher salt, bay leaves, peppercorns, the quartered onion, and the halved lemon. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and submerge the octopus (dipping it three times by holding the head and dipping tentacles into the simmer to curl them before fully immersing helps presentation). Cover and simmer gently until the thickest part of a tentacle is tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 35–55 minutes depending on size (2–3 lb typically ~45 minutes). Do not boil vigorously—maintain a gentle simmer to avoid toughening.

Cool in cooking liquid

When tender, remove the pot from heat and let the octopus cool in the cooking liquid for 20–30 minutes to further tenderize and absorb flavor. Lift out, drain, and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve some cooking liquid (1/2 cup) and strain it for potential thinning of dressing if needed.

Cut

Using a sharp knife, remove the head if preferred and slice the tentacles into 1–1½ inch pieces on the bias. Keep any smaller tentacle tips whole for presentation.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbs red wine vinegar, 2 tbs fresh lemon juice, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tsp fine sea salt, and 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust acidity or salt. If too thick, whisk in 1–2 tbs reserved octopus cooking liquid or water to loosen.

Place the cut octopus pieces into a shallow bowl or baking dish and pour about half of the dressing over them, tossing gently to coat. Let sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes so the octopus absorbs the flavors (alternatively refrigerate up to 1 hour, bring back to room temp before serving).

In a large bowl, combine 3 cups heirloom tomato wedges, 3 oz halved Kalamata olives, 0.5 cup thinly sliced red onion, 0.25 cup chopped parsley, and 2 tbs chopped fresh oregano. Add the remaining dressing and toss gently to coat all vegetables.

Add the marinated octopus to the tomato-olive mixture and gently fold to combine—ensure every component is coated with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, lemon juice, or olive oil as desired.

For a charred flavor, preheat a grill or grill pan to high. Brush octopus pieces lightly with 1 tbs olive oil and place on the hot grill for 1–2 minutes per side until cross-hatch char marks appear. Remove and toss into the salad with the dressing and vegetables.

Transfer the Mediterranean octopus to a serving platter, garnish with additional chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature alongside crusty bread or a simple green salad.