Octopus Grilled Octopus Tentacles With Brown Sugar Bourbon Chiltepin Butter, Topped With Toasted Cheddar & Poblano Heirloom Blue Cornbread Crumbles & Locally Grown Micro Cilantro 29 Recipe

ENTRÉES

1. 1

   Tenderize and simmer octopus

   Fill a large pot with water and 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Add octopus tentacles and blanch briefly, then reduce heat to a lively simmer and cook 25-30 minutes until tender. Remove and pat dry.

2. 2

   Make brown sugar bourbon chiltepin butter

   In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Whisk in brown sugar until dissolved, then add bourbon and chiltepin. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, remove from heat and keep warm.

3. 3

   Roast and prep poblano peppers

   Char the skins of the poblano peppers under a grill or broiler until blackened. Transfer to a bag or covered bowl to steam, then peel away skins, remove seeds, and dice.

4. 4

   Crumble blue cornmeal cornbread

   Bake a batch of blue heirloom cornmeal cornbread until golden and cooked through. Cool, then crumble into rough 1/4-inch pieces to yield about 2 cups of crumbs. Lightly toast the crumbs in a skillet or oven to deepen flavor.

5. 5

   Assemble cheddar-poblano crumb topping

   In a bowl, combine crumbled blue cornmeal cornbread (2 cups) with diced roasted poblano (2 peppers, to taste) and shredded sharp cheddar (1 cup). Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Set topping aside.

6. 6

   Grill octopus and glaze with butter

   Brush tentacles with olive oil and place on a hot grill. Grill 1-2 minutes per side for char, flipping once. In the last minute, baste with warm brown sugar bourbon chiltepin butter to glaze.

7. 7

   Plate and garnish

   Spoon generous cheddar-poblano crumb topping onto each plate, arrange grilled octopus tentacles on top, and finish with micro cilantro. If desired, crack extra black pepper and serve immediately.