Best Braised Octopus Recipes

BRAISED OCTOPUS

Steps:

• Set the saucepan over low heat. Pour in 6 tablespoons of the olive oil. Scatter the onion in the bottom of the pan and add the garlic. Nestle the octopus on top of the onions. Scatter the olives over the octopus. Cover and let the octopus stew in its own juices for 1 hour.
• Uncover the octopus, there should be a lot of liquid from the octopus in the pan. Cover and continue to stew over low heat until the octopus is very tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes more, depending on the size of the octopus. To test for doneness, stick a fork in the thickest part of the octopus, it is done if the fork slides out easily.
• Remove the octopus from the pot and let cool slightly. Cut the octopus into 3/4-inch chunks, skin and all. Put the octopus chunks in the skillet and pour in the contents of the saucepan as well. Taste the sauce for salt (the octopus can be very salty) and add the salt, if needed. Get the sauce simmering rapidly over medium heat and stir in the parsley. You should have 2 cups or so of braising juices in the skillet. If there's much more than that, boil to reduce the sauce

SPAGHETTI WITH OCTOPUS BRAISED IN RED WINE

Steps:

• Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet or saute pan, and turn heat to medium-high. Add carrot, onion and celery. Sprinkle with pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add octopus, along with some pepper and a little more salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, and then add wine, bay leaf and garlic. Cook until octopus is tender, for about 1 hour (check with point of sharp knife). Remove octopus, and cut into bite-size pieces. Return octopus to skillet, and turn heat to a minimum.
• Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to boil, and salt it. Fifteen minutes before eating, begin cooking pasta. When it is barely tender but not nearly tender enough to eat, drain it, reserving about 1 cup cooking liquid. Add pasta to octopus mixture, with half the reserved liquid. Cook until pasta is tender but not mushy; add remaining liquid if needed to keep mixture from drying out.
• Add remaining olive oil, along with butter, cherry tomatoes and basil. Stir until butter melts, and then serve.

SPAGHETTI WITH OCTOPUS BRAISED IN RED WINE

Steps:

• Place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, onion, and celery. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the octopus along with some pepper and a little more salt. Cook, stirring, for a minute, then add the wine, bay leaf, and garlic. Cook until the octopus is tender, about an hour (check with the point of a sharp knife). Remove the octopus and cut it into bite-sized pieces, then return it to the skillet; turn the heat to a minimum.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Fifteen minutes before eating, begin to cook the pasta. When it is barely tender-but not nearly tender enough to eat-drain it, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the octopus mixture, along with half the reserved cooking water. Cook until the pasta is tender but not mushy, adding the remaining cooking water if necessary to keep the mixture from drying out.
• Add the remaining olive oil, along with the cherry tomatoes. Cook for another minute, taste and adjust the seasoning, then stir in the basil and serve.

BRAISED OCTOPUS WITH SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Pour 6 tablespoons of the olive oil into the saucepan, and set it over low heat. Scatter the onion slices over the bottom of the pan, and lay the octopuses on top. Scatter the olives over the octopuses, cover the pan, and let the octopuses heat slowly, releasing their liquid, and starting to cook in it. After an hour or so, uncover the pan and check to see that there is plenty of octopus liquid in the pan. If it seems dry, add 1 cup of water at a time. This recipe should yield 2 cups of sauce when the octopus is done.
• Continue the covered slow cooking for another hour, until the octopuses are very tender. Start testing for doneness after 1 3/4 hours: stick the tines of a fork in the thickest part of each octopus; when the fork slides out easily, the meat is done.
• Remove the octopuses from the pot, and let them cool slightly. To make a meaty octopus sauce, cut both octopuses into 3/4-inch chunks, skin and all (or you can leave the octopuses whole for serving). Measure the liquid remaining in the saucepan. Again, you should have about 2 cups total. If the volume is greater, return the juices to the saucepan and boil to reduce it. Put the cut octopus meat and the juices in the skillet for dressing the pasta.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt). Drop in the spaghetti, stirring and separating the strands. Cover the pot, return the water to a boil over high heat, then set the cover ajar and cook the pasta until barely al dente.
• As the spaghetti cooks, bring the octopus meat and sauce in the skillet to a rapid simmer; taste, and add 1/4 teaspoon salt if needed (octopus is naturally salty). Stir in the parsley.
• Lift the spaghetti from the pot, drain briefly, and drop it into the skillet. Toss the pasta and the simmering sauce together for a minute or two, until the spaghetti is nicely coated with sauce and perfectly al dente, and the octopus chunks are distributed throughout the pasta. Turn off the heat, drizzle over the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and toss again. Heap the spaghetti into warm bowls, making sure each portion gets plenty of octopus pieces, and serve immediately.

BRAISED OCTOPUS AND TANGY POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• For the octopus:.
• Cut the head off the octopus. Combine the tentacles, parsley, olive oil, oregano, thyme, shallots and garlic in a cast-iron pot over medium-high heat. Cover and gradually bring the mixture to a boil. You don't need to add any liquid to the pot because the octopus will release its own braising liquid. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour.
• Remove the octopus from the heat and let cool in the braising liquid. On a large piece of plastic wrap, lay the tentacles top to tail. Season with salt and cracked pepper. Tightly roll up (it should look like a long sausage). Use more plastic wrap to secure the octopus, if necessary. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to set.
• For the potato salad:.
• Combine the gherkins, capers, oil, mustard, vinegar, potatoes, shallots, chiles, chives and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, unwrap the octopus and thinly slice. Divide the octopus among plates, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with lemon zest and celery leaves. Serve the potato salad alongside.
• Cook's Note:.
• The octopus head can be reserved and then sliced and eaten with the rest of the dish.

BRAISED OCTOPUS

Steps:

• In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook about 2 minutes. Add the chili-pepper flakes and the octopus. Cover. Lower heat. Braise until tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring frequently.
• Add tomatoes and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir, cover and simmer for 10 more minutes. Add parsley. Serve with grilled country bread.

BRAISED OCTOPUS AND TANGY POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• For the octopus: Cut the head off the octopus. Combine the tentacles, parsley, olive oil, oregano, thyme, shallots and garlic in a cast-iron pot over medium-high heat. Cover and gradually bring the mixture to a boil. You don't need to add any liquid to the pot because the octopus will release its own braising liquid. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour.
• Remove the octopus from the heat and let cool in the braising liquid. On a large piece of plastic wrap, lay the tentacles top to tail. Season with salt and cracked pepper. Tightly roll up (it should look like a long sausage). Use more plastic wrap to secure the octopus, if necessary. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to set.
• For the potato salad: Combine the gherkins, capers, oil, mustard, vinegar, potatoes, shallots, chiles, chives and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, unwrap the octopus and thinly slice. Divide the octopus among plates, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with lemon zest and celery leaves. Serve the potato salad alongside.
• Cook's Note: The octopus head can be reserved and then sliced and eaten with the rest of the dish.

BRAISED AND CHARRED OCTOPUS TACO

Steps:

• For the octopus: Add the octopus, red wine, chicken stock, carrots, 1 head garlic, onion, shallot and some salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to a large stockpot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the octopus, 4 garlic cloves, lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
• For the arugula salad: Toss together the arugula, mustard, olive oil, vinegar and some salt and pepper in a bowl.
• For the olive tapenade: Add the olive oil, garlic and lemon juice to a food processor and pulse to blend. Add the black olives, Kalamata olives, green olives, pistachios, basil, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper. Pulse to a chunky puree.
• Add 1/2 cup of the tapenade to the arugula salad.
• For the pickled carrots: Bring the vinegar, salt and sugar to a low simmer in a small saucepan. Add the carrots and Thai chiles and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.
• For the zesty yogurt: In a food processor, blend the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, a decent amount of salt, and a pinch each of black pepper and red pepper flakes.
• To plate: Top a tortilla with arugula salad followed by 3 to 4 baby octopus and some pickled carrots. Drizzle with zesty yogurt.

POULPE PROVENCAL (OCTOPUS BRAISED IN TOMATO AND WINE)

Steps:

• To clean each octopus, use a small sharp knife and cut each head from the tentacles. Remove the eyes by cutting a round of flesh from the base of each head. To clean the heads, CAREFULLY slit them open and remove the gut. Rinse thoroughly. Cut the heads in half. Push out the beaks from the center of the tentacles from the cut side. Cut the tentacles into sets of four or two, depending on the size of the octopus. Set aside.
• Score a cross in the base of each tomato. Place the tomatoes in a bowl of boiling water for 10 seconds, then plunge into cold water and peel the skin away from the cross.
• Cut each tomato in half and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Chop the flesh and set aside.
• Blanch all the octopus in boiling water for 2 minutes, then dain and allow to cool slightly. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan and cook the onion for 7-8 minutes until lightly golden.
• Add the octopus and garlic to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add the tomatos, wine, saffron and thyme.
• Add just enough water to cover the octopus.
• Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes or until the octopus is tender and the sauce has thickened a little. The cooking time will vary quite a bit depending upon the size of the octopus.
• Season to taste. Serve hot or at room temperature, sprinkled with chopped parsley. (We like it at room temp).

BRAISED OCTOPUS

Steps:

• Cook octopus in large pot over medium heat until almost all of its water has evaporated. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and then simmer half covered until sauce is reduced and slightly thickened (1-2 hours). Serve with rice or over pasta.