Octopus Grilled Octopus Tentacles With Brown Sugar Bourbon Chiltepin Butter, Topped With Toasted Cheddar & Poblano Heirloom Blue Cornbread Crumbles & Locally Grown Micro Cilantro Recipe

Rinse and prep octopus

Rinse the octopus tentacles under cold running water and pat dry. If using a whole octopus, remove any beak and remove excess membrane. This preparation helps prevent limp texture after grilling.

Season lightly with salt and pepper, then brush the tentacles with olive oil to promote even browning on the grill.

Make the butter glaze

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter. Whisk in brown sugar until dissolved, add bourbon, ground chiltepin, minced garlic, and lime juice. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes to infuse flavors, then keep warm.

Roast and prep poblanos

Roast poblanos over flame or under broiler until charred on all sides. Place in a bowl covered with a towel to steam, then peel, seed, and finely chop.

Prepare cornbread batter

In a bowl, whisk together blue cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk and egg until combined. Pour wet into dry just until moistened.

Fold roasted poblano into the batter. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes until set. Remove and cool, then crumble into coarse crumbs.

Toast shredded cheddar on a lined sheet in a 375°F (190°C) oven until edges brown and cheese crisps. Once cooled, crumble into small bits.

Combine cheddar crisps with the blue cornbread crumbs to form a streusel-like topping; set aside for plating.

Grill octopus

Preheat grill to high. Brush octopus with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Grill the tentacles 2-3 minutes per side until charred and just cooked through. During the last minute of grilling, brush with the brown sugar bourbon chiltepin butter and baste to glaze.

Plate and garnish

Scatter the blue cornmeal cheddar crumble over warmed plates. Arrange the grilled octopus tentacles on top. Spoon a little extra butter glaze over the tentacles and finish with a sprinkle of micro cilantro.

Serve immediately so the cornbread crumb remains crisp and the octopus stays tender.