Recipe courtesy of Danielle Sepsy
Recipe courtesy of Danielle Sepsy
Watch how to make this recipe.
Olive Oil Braised Octopus
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- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 3 hr
- Active: 45 min
- Yield: about 12 appetizer servings
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- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 12 servings
- Calories
- 1543
- Total Fat
- 152 g
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Protein
- 35 g
- Cholesterol
- 109 mg
- Sodium
- 544 mg
An easy olive oil braising technique makes cooking deliciously tender octopus at home a snap. You can enjoy the super-tender tentacles right out of the pot, although finishing them on the grill for a light char on the outside gives them extra flavor. It’s perfect with a simple topping of lemon, parsley and olive oil, or customize it with sauces like chimichurri, gremolata or even chili oil. You can serve the octopus warm or as a cold salad. For a simple Italian-inspired “insalata di polpo,” cut the octopus into bite-size pieces and toss it with chopped celery, olives, cherry tomatoes and parsley and then drizzle it with a lemon and olive oil dressing.
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 3 hr
- Active: 45 min
- Yield: about 12 appetizer servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 12 servings
- Calories
- 1543
- Total Fat
- 152 g
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Protein
- 35 g
- Cholesterol
- 109 mg
- Sodium
- 544 mg
Ingredients
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Directions
- Use a chef’s knife to cut off the octopus heads and cut out the sharp “beaks” at the center of the underside of the octopus bodies. Rinse the octopus very well in a colander under cold running water for at least 30 minutes or it will be too salty (see Cook’s Note), making sure to remove all of the grit from the suckers on the tentacles. Drain and pat the octopus dry with paper towels.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, celery, carrots and peppercorns. Cook, stirring, until everything is lightly brown and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Place the octopus on top of the vegetables and then place the rosemary, thyme and parsley on top. Scatter the lemon pieces and bay leaves around the octopus. Pour the 4 cups olive oil and the vegetable oil over the octopus making sure it is mostly submerged, but ensure that the oil comes no more than 1 1/2 inches from the top of the pot.
- Place the pot over low heat. Once the oil comes to a light simmer place the lid on the pot. Braise the octopus on low heat for 2 to 3 hours or until a butter knife can easily slide in and out of the thickest part of the octopus. Once cooked, remove the octopus carefully with tongs and place it on a sheet pan. Use a knife to separate the legs.
- Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat and get it nice and hot. Grill the legs for a few minutes on each side to get a little char and browning on the outside.
- To finish, either cut the octopus into bite-size pieces or leave the legs whole. Drizzle the octopus with good-quality finishing olive oil, sprinkle with chopped parsley, drizzle with a squeeze of fresh lemon and sprinkle with flaky sea salt as desired.
Cook’s Note
Octopus can vary in saltiness based on how it's handled. For fresh octopus, we rinse it for 30 minutes, but yours may need less rinsing. Either way, just make sure all grit is removed from the suckers.
