Grilled Octopus With Fennel, Chickpeas, And Calabrese Chile Butter Recipe

Prepare and tenderize

If the octopus has a beak, remove it by turning the head inside out and cutting it out. Rinse the octopus well. (If the octopus is frozen, thaw completely in the refrigerator — freezing helps tenderize.)

Poach octopus

In a large pot, combine 2 liters water, white wine, halved onion, chopped carrot, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns and 1½ tablespoons kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat so the liquid is at a low simmer (not a rolling boil). Submerge the whole octopus, tentacles down, and simmer gently, uncovered, for 35–45 minutes for a 2–2.5 lb octopus, or until a thick part of a tentacle slides easily off a fork (tender but not falling apart). Start checking at 30 minutes. If needed, simmer up to 60 minutes for larger octopuses.

Cool in broth

Turn off heat and let the octopus cool in the cooking liquid for 20–30 minutes to firm slightly and absorb flavor. Remove octopus and reserve 120 ml (½ cup) of the poaching liquid for the chickpeas/fennel dressing if desired. Pat the octopus dry with paper towels. Separate the head from the tentacles if you prefer smaller portions; keep tentacles whole for grilling.

While the octopus poaches, make the chile butter. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with a fork until smooth. Stir in 2 tsp Calabrese chile paste, lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped parsley and ½ teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to plastic wrap, form into a log if desired, and refrigerate until needed so it firms slightly, or keep at room temperature if you plan to finish immediately.

Prepare the dressing: whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, minced garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or salt.

In a medium bowl, combine drained chickpeas and thinly sliced fennel. Pour the dressing over them and toss to coat. Stir in chopped fennel fronds. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to allow flavors to meld; if the reserved poaching liquid was saved, add 1–2 tablespoons to loosen the dressing and add depth.

Preheat grill: set up a grill for medium-high heat (around 400°F / 200°C). If using a grill pan, heat it over medium-high and brush with oil.

Prepare octopus for grilling: brush the poached, dried octopus tentacles lightly with 1–2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with smoked paprika and a little extra salt. This helps get good char and flavor.

Grill octopus: place tentacles on the hot grill and sear 2–3 minutes per side until you get a good char and blistering spots. Rotate to get char on multiple faces; total grilling time should be about 6–8 minutes depending on thickness. The goal is a smoky exterior while keeping the interior tender.

Finish with chile butter: remove octopus from the grill and immediately brush generously with the Calabrese chile butter so it melts onto the tentacles. Alternatively, slice tentacles and dot with small pieces of butter to melt over warm slices.

Plate and serve: arrange a bed of chickpea–fennel salad on each plate, place grilled octopus tentacles on top, drizzle any remaining chile butter over them, and scatter microgreens or baby arugula if using. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing and a final grind of black pepper.