Octopus Carpaccio Recipe

Clean and tenderize

If your octopus is whole, rinse under cold water, remove beak and ink sac if present, and remove eyes. Freeze-thawed octopus is preferable for tenderness; if fresh, you can quickly freeze and thaw to help tenderize. Trim excess skin or beak remains.

Simmer

Place the octopus in a large pot big enough to submerge it. Add enough cold water to cover, then add coarse salt, bay leaves, peppercorns and the halved lemon. Bring to a gentle simmer (do not boil vigorously) and poach the octopus slowly for 35–45 minutes for a 1 kg octopus, or until a leg tip pierces easily with a skewer. Start checking at 30 minutes. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer to avoid toughening.

Shock and chill

Remove the octopus from the poaching liquid and immediately plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking and set texture, about 10 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.

Slice thinly

Using a sharp chef's knife or preferably a slicer, remove the tentacles from the body and slice the tentacles very thinly (1–2 mm) on a slight diagonal to create carpaccio-style rounds. If desired, press slices briefly between sheets of plastic wrap and chill to help them hold shape.

Dress lightly

Place sliced octopus in a shallow bowl, drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and gently toss to coat. Refrigerate briefly while you prepare other components so flavors marry (10–15 minutes).

Roast and peel peppers

Preheat broiler or grill to high. Place whole red bell peppers on a sheet pan and roast, turning occasionally, until skin is charred and blistered all over, about 10–15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap for 10 minutes to steam. Peel off the charred skin, remove seeds and membranes, and slice into 5 mm-wide strips.

Make vinaigrette

In a bowl, whisk together sherry vinegar, apricot jam, honey, Dijon mustard and minced garlic until smooth. Slowly whisk in 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to emulsify. Season with 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust balance: add more vinegar for acidity, honey for sweetness, or salt as needed.

Marinate peppers

Combine the pepper strips with half of the vinaigrette (reserve remaining vinaigrette for finishing). Toss to coat and let marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours to develop flavor.

Prepare potatoes

Wash small new potatoes and slice very thinly (1.5–2 mm) using a mandoline or a very sharp knife to create small rounds. Pat dry thoroughly between paper towels to remove surface moisture.

Fry crisps

Heat neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan to 170–175°C (340–350°F). Fry potato slices in small batches so they have room to crisp, about 2–3 minutes per batch, until golden and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer crisps to a wire rack or paper towels to drain. Immediately toss with fine salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Keep crisp

Allow crisps to cool completely; they will crisp further as they cool. Make these just before plating so they remain crunchy.

Plate the carpaccio: Lay thin octopus slices in a single layer on chilled plates, overlapping slightly to form a circular carpaccio.

Distribute marinated sweet pepper strips over and around the octopus slices, using a few strips per serving to add color and sweetness.

Drizzle: Spoon remaining apricot-honey vinaigrette in small drops or a thin ribbon over the octopus and peppers. Then finish with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil drizzled over each plate and a light sprinkle (about 1/8 tsp) of smoked sea salt if using.

Add potato crisps and microgreens: Tuck 6–8 petit potato crisps per plate around the carpaccio for crunch. Scatter microgreens and lemon zest lightly on top.

Final seasoning: Grind a little black pepper over the top and serve immediately so the crisps remain crunchy.