Octopus Recipe

Clean & tenderize

If the octopus is not already cleaned, remove beak and ink sac and rinse thoroughly under cold water. If frozen, thaw completely. To tenderize and reduce seawater flavor, soak the octopus in a brine: combine 2 liters cold water, 3 tbsp coarse sea salt, 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (or lemon juice), 2 bay leaves and 1 tbsp peppercorns. Submerge the octopus, cover and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes.

After brining, remove the octopus and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve the brine liquid and aromatics for the poaching step if desired.

Prepare poaching liquid

In a large wide pot, add 1.5 L fresh water (plus reserved brine if using, up to 500 ml), onion halves, halved carrot, celery stalk, 4 smashed garlic cloves, and the tied parsley. Add 1 cup white wine if using. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat — do not boil vigorously.

Once simmering, reduce heat to low so liquid is barely moving. Hold the pot at this gentle simmer for the most tender texture.

Poach the octopus

Working with one octopus at a time, dip the tentacles into the simmering liquid three times (this curls the tips attractively) then fully submerge the whole octopus. Cover partially with a lid and simmer gently until tender when pierced with a fork at the thickest part of a tentacle: about 35–50 minutes for a 2 lb octopus. (Smaller octopus will take less time; start checking at 25 minutes.)

When tender, remove the octopus from the poaching liquid to a cutting board and allow to rest 10 minutes. Reserve the poaching liquid for soups or stock if desired.

Slice and dress

Cut the tentacles into 1–1.5 inch pieces and slice the head into bite-sized pieces. Arrange on a platter. Whisk together 4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp coarse sea salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (if using). Drizzle the dressing over the warm octopus and sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped parsley.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lemon or salt if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Char for texture

For a smoky finish, heat a grill or heavy skillet to high. Brush the poached octopus pieces lightly with 1 tbsp high-heat oil. Grill or sear 1–2 minutes per side until char marks appear and edges crisp slightly. Transfer to platter and proceed with the dressing and garnish above.