Grilled Octopus Recipe

Tenderize and Braise Octopus

Rinse the octopus under cold water. In a large pot, combine 2 liters water, 1 cup white wine, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon peppercorns and 1.5 tablespoons coarse sea salt. Bring to a gentle simmer. Dip the octopus three times into the simmering liquid (this helps the tentacles curl) then fully submerge. Maintain a very gentle simmer (not a rolling boil) and cook until the thickest part of the tentacle is fork-tender, approximately 45–60 minutes for a 2 lb octopus. Test with a small knife — it should slide in with little resistance. Remove from poaching liquid and let cool slightly.

When cool enough to handle, separate the head from the tentacles if desired for presentation. Pat the octopus dry with paper towels. Toss tentacles/light portions with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt to coat evenly.

Grill

Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat (425–475°F / 220–245°C). Oil the grates or pan. Grill the octopus, turning occasionally, until charred and caramelized on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove from grill and let rest 3 minutes. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and 1–2 tablespoons olive oil, then slice into 1–1.5 inch pieces for plating.

While the octopus is braising, prepare the relish. Peel and julienne kohlrabi into matchsticks so you have about 2 cups. Thinly slice 1/2 cup red onion and soak in cold water for 5 minutes if you want milder bite, then drain well.

In a medium bowl combine 0.5 cup chopped sundried tomatoes, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tbsp rinsed capers, 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine.

Add the julienned kohlrabi and drained red onion to the bowl and toss thoroughly so the vegetables are coated with the sundried tomato mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning — a bit more vinegar or salt can be added to balance. Let the relish sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to meld flavors before plating.

Whisk together 1 teaspoon colatura di alici, 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil until emulsified. Taste and adjust — colatura is salty and umami-forward, so add more lemon or oil if needed to balance. Keep refrigerated until ready to use; bring to room temperature before dressing the relish if chilled.

Place a bed of the kohlrabi–red onion–sundried tomato relish in the center of each plate (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup per serving).

Arrange sliced grilled octopus pieces on top of the relish. Drizzle 1–2 teaspoons of the colatura vinaigrette over the octopus and relish (use sparingly — it’s concentrated).

Finish with a small drizzle of extra olive oil, a light sprinkle of chili flakes to taste, and 1–2 tablespoons microgreens or chopped parsley per plate. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.