Charred Octopus Salad with Tangerine Sauce

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 5 to 6 servings
  • Total: 2 hr 40 min
  • Active: 1 hr 10 min
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Ingredients

1 bottle red wine, such as Merlot

2 heads garlic, halved 

1/3 cup black peppercorns 

One 2-pound octopus 

4 bacon slices, cut into lardons

Tangerine Sauce, recipe follows

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1/4 cup pink peppercorns, crushed 

3 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves picked, for garnish 

Bull's Blood microgreens, for garnish

Micro baby arugula, for garnish 

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Tangerine Sauce:

2 cups tangerine juice

1 tablespoon honey 

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

2 anchovies 

1 half finger chile 

Canola oil, for drizzling

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Combine the red wine, garlic, black peppercorns and 2 quarts of water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
  2. Dip the octopus in the boiling liquid for 10 seconds and lift it back out. Repeat the process 3 times. Finally, submerge the octopus in the liquid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and allow the octopus to poach in the liquid until tender, about 90 minutes.
  3. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve the fat in the pan.
  4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Preheat a grill to high heat. Warm up half of the Tangerine Sauce in a saute pan on medium heat.
  5. Remove the octopus from the poaching liquid and allow to cool before handling, about 10 minutes. Remove the head and discard. Cut off the tentacles from the body and reserve the body for another use. Dip the tentacles into the reserved bacon fat, and place on the hot grill to char very briefly. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the tentacles to a large ovenproof saute pan, toss with the heated Tangerine Sauce and place in the oven for 5 minutes.
  6. To serve, drizzle some of the remaining Tangerine Sauce on each plate. Sprinkle some of the crushed peppercorns and oregano leaves around each plate. Place a tentacle on each plate and sprinkle with some of the bacon. Garnish with the Bull¿s Blood microgreens and micro arugula. Finish with a drizzle of oil and some freshly ground black pepper.

Tangerine Sauce:

  1. Reduce the juice and honey in a saute pan over medium heat until syrupy. Allow to cool slightly. Combine in a food processor with the red wine vinegar, mustard, anchovies and chile and process until smooth. While processing, drizzle in enough canola oil to create an emulsified sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Let's Get Cooking!

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Richard M

Just tried this recipe out tonight and it was also fantastic.  Also my first time cooking octopus.  Purchased a whole octopus from Whole Foods ($17) and found this recipe to inspire me.  It came out super tender as I followed the recipe primarily.  Had to make some modifications around the lack of tangerine juice (juiced a couple tangerines and added a mango/ apricot juice to fill the rest).  Bobby's dishes always impress me and my wife and I enjoyed our Sunday dinner.    

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