2 peopole | 60 min.
What you need
- 800gr. fresh octopus
- 1/2 butternut squash
- 4 carrots
- 2 celery sticks
- 100 gr. rocket salad
- sunflower seeds
- black pepper
- salt
- olive oil
- parsley & mint
- bay leafes
- 1/2 onion
How
If your octopus is not cleaned, first remove the ink sac and internal organs by making a circular cut around the beak with a knife. Pull away the beak along with the organs, then wash the octopus.
Set a large pot with enough water and to boil.
Add salt, carrots, celery sticks, parsley, mint, bay leafes and half onion (or other herbs and vegetables of your choice) to infuse flavor into the meat.
Before adding the octopus to the boiling water, dunk its tenctacles 3-4 times in and out, this will make tentacles curl, as the denaturation in a specific temperature range will cause the octopus muscles to contract.
Timing varies depending on the weight quantity of the octopus you are cooking. For 800gr. of octopus, it will usually be between 45min. to 1 hours, but the true test for doneness is: When a fork inserts easily where the head meets the legs slides, it’s done.
Let octopus cool in the cooking water, this will optimize octopus texture.
The leftover liquid can be discarded or strained and used as a seafood stock.
This method can additionally be used as a simple first step to tenderize your octopus before finishing it in a pan or on the grill.
Serve the octopus along with the baked butternut squash and carrots from the stock. Decorate the plate with rocket salad. Season the dish with sunflower seeds, extravirgin olive oil and pepper.
Vitamins Lady 