Tender and smoky, grilled octopus you can make at home
This dish is full of brilliant flavours and textures: charred, tender octopus, fresh, aromatic salsa verde and salty, earthy potatoes.
I’ve made this many times, both in my restaurants and at home. This dish is full of brilliant flavours and textures: charred, tender octopus, plus fresh, aromatic salsa verde and salty, earthy potatoes. My preferred octopus here are the large, frozen octopus “hands”. The freezing process helps tenderise the flesh – the tentacles, when cooked, have a soft, pork-like texture. Start this recipe two days ahead so the octopus is thawed, cooked and chilled, ready for grilling. Try also my pepperoni pizza.
Grilled octopus with potato
Ingredients
- 1kg frozen octopus hands, thawed in the fridge overnight
- 500g small potatoes, such as Nicola or kipfler
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- 1 lemon
- Salsa verde, to serve (see below)
Method
- Take a pot large enough to comfortably hold the octopus and fill it with water. Bring to a rolling boil, then carefully add the octopus and turn the heat down so the temperature sits below a simmer – you’re looking for it to hover around 80C. Cook the octopus for 45 minutes, or until tender. This can be tested by cutting a small slice off the thickest part of the octopus and tasting it. If it’s not tender, keep cooking, checking it every 10 minutes.
- When it’s ready, remove the pot from the heat and drain most of the water until the octopus is just covered. Leave the octopus to cool in the remaining liquid to room temperature, then drain, place it on a tray, cover and refrigerate overnight to chill and set. Light a charcoal grill or barbecue and let the coals burn down until white and glowing. While you’re waiting, remove the octopus from the fridge and let it temper. If the tentacles are connected, cut them into individual tentacles to ensure you get an even colour all over while cooking.
- Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover them with cold water. I like to season the water with what seems like an absurd amount of salt: 250g for every litre of water. This results in potatoes with a fine, powdery coating on their surface when they dry, and a deep flavour. Season your water, then bring the potatoes to a gentle boil and cook until tender – the tip of a knife should slide in and out easily.
- Gently tip the potatoes into a colander or sieve to drain; don’t rinse them, or you’ll wash off the salty exterior. Transfer the potatoes to a plate and leave them to dry and cool. If you don’t already have some salsa verde handy, make it now – see recipe below. Lightly oil the octopus and place it on a preheated wire cake rack set over the hot grill (ensuring the rack is really hot when you add the octopus helps reduce sticking).
- Grill the octopus hot and fast (it’s already cooked through) until it colours nicely and starts to char a little – check the underside by lifting the rack and peeking underneath. When it’s nicely coloured with an attractive crust, flip it over to colour the other side and warm it through; you can check this with a metal skewer or the tip of a knife. When it’s done, flip the octopus onto a chopping board.
- Put the potatoes on a large platter, cutting any larger ones into halves or quarters, then chop the octopus to roughly the same size and add it to the platter. Dress with enough salsa verde to coat the octopus and potatoes. Use a microplane to grate the lemon zest over the top, then cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice over as well, catching any seeds with your fingers. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serves 4-6
Salsa verde
- 20g flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 12g mint leaves
- 3g tarragon leaves
- 20g salted capers, rinsed
- 35g drained, tinned anchovy fillets in oil
- 8g garlic
- 200ml olive oil
- 50ml good-quality red wine vinegar
Using a sharp knife chop all the herbs, the capers and the anchovies quite finely (this is a rustic sauce, so don’t get too carried away), then combine in a bowl. Grate the garlic into the olive oil using a microplane, then gently fold the oil through the herb mixture. Generously season with freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the vinegar at the last moment before serving.Makes about 300ml
This is an edited extract from Quality Meats by Luke Powell. Photography: Alicia Taylor