Although it may look a little foreboding, don’t be intimidated by cooking octopus; it’s mostly a hands-off process. With a little time and patience, you’ll be rewarded with a stunning octopus antipasto—perfect as a starter or light lunch.
Tip
While delicious as a salad, this recipe can also become a wonderful sauce to serve over pasta. Warm 1 Tbsp (15 mL) grapeseed oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat and add tomatoes, zucchini instead of cucumber, beans, and a splash of water or white wine. Sauté until warmed through and tomatoes start to pop and release their juices. Stir in octopus and some of its marinade before spooning over spaghetti.
Octopus with Beans
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs (750 g) frozen octopus tentacles, thawed in refrigerator
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) kosher salt, for scrubbing
- 1 yellow onion, cut in half
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 cups (500 mL) dry white wine (optional)
- 2 bunches flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems only
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated lemon zest
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp (5 mL) sambal oelek chili paste or sriracha chili sauce
- 1 cup (250 mL) halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup (250 mL) chopped cucumber
- 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) cooked cannellini beans
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories206
- protein21g
- fat6g
- saturated fat1g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates17g
- sugars1g
- fibre5g
- sodium271mg
Directions
01
Scrub octopus with salt and rinse thoroughly under cold water. In large pot, place octopus, onion, bay leaves, lemon, wine (if using), and enough water to cover octopus by 2 in (5 cm). Bring to a boil before reducing heat to low and let simmer slowly, uncovered, topping up with water as needed, until octopus is fork tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
02
While octopus is cooking, create marinade by combining parsley, cumin, coriander, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, and sambal oelek or sriracha in food processor or blender until it forms a paste. Transfer to medium bowl and set aside.
03
When octopus is ready, remove from cooking liquid and, while hot, remove skin. It should wipe away easily with a paper towel. Slice into 4 in (10 cm) pieces and place warm octopus in marinade and toss to coat. Allow octopus to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, before transferring to airtight container and refrigerating for at least 24 hours, but no longer than 48 hours.
04
When ready to assemble dish, preheat broiler. Remove octopus tentacles from marinade, reserving marinade. Place octopus on baking tray, and broil, turning frequently, until warmed through and starting to crisp in spots, about 5 minutes total.
05
Transfer to cutting board and cut into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to large bowl and add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, beans, and pepper. Add 2 Tbsp (30 mL) octopus marinade and toss until everything is well combined. Place in serving bowl and serve alongside toasted bread, if desired.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
GF Almond Tahini Ice Cream Cookie Cake
Ice cream cakes and/or cookies are everyone’s favourite. And here’s a great option for a delicious “Dad’s” cookie cake that’s gluten free! A simple-to-make cookie cake that’s made even easier when the dough is tossed together in a food processor. End a delicious Dad’s Day meal with this deliciously cool and creamy sweet dessert. Best beer? Extra yum when served with small glasses of chocolate-flavoured stout or porter. When Dad loves his cookies We made this delicious dessert into a cake, but it can easily be made into individual ice cream cookies. Roll out dough into 1/4 in (6 mm) thickness and cut into 2 in (5 cm) rounds. Bake, cool, and chill. Once chilled, spoon ice cream in between chilled cookies. Freeze until firm. Drizzle with melted chocolate or dip into melted chocolate.
Pork Tenderloin with Espresso BBQ Sauce
Coffee-flavoured BBQ sauce? Why not? It’s a strikingly flavourful combo—sweet, tangy, bold, and rich. It can be used not only on pork but on a variety of other meats. We marinated tenderloin in it and doubled up on the smoky flavour by grilling it on a cedar plank. Serve with a side order of grilled broccolini for extra yum. Best beer? You can’t go wrong with an IPA or a honey lager to complement this flavourful dish. Looking for an easy way to grill broccolini? Toss with a little oil and season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Near the end of grilling, place broccolini beside plank with tenderloin on hot grill for about 6 or 7 minutes. Using tongs, turn a few times until tender and lightly charred. Place on platter with sliced pork and drizzle with lemon juice and some shaved Parmesan.
Everything-But-Meat Salad
If there’s a vegan or vegetarian in the crowd, then this dish will be sure to please. Chock full of complementary textures and flavours, it not only qualifies as eye candy, but is also a substantial stand-alone meal—a stunning meal in a dish! Best beer? Serve this salad with an IPA or pale ale. For a more adventurous sip, it’s equally delicious with a Belgian pale or dark ale. Endlessly customizable When it comes to this powerhouse salad, the sky’s the limit. Swap out apples with orange wedges, or mix up your greens by substituting spinach for endive. Bump up the protein with some canned chickpeas or black beans, if you wish. Or cut up some corn tortillas into bite-sized strips, fry in pan until crisp, then toss over salad for added crunch.
Grilled New Potatoes and Lentils with Creamy Lemon Dressing
Early summer potatoes, cooked and grilled, are just the ticket for this fabulous salad. Coupled with lentils, they’re a delicious add-on to any meal plan. This recipe offers an added bonus: it can be made in stages, so you’re not cooking all afternoon. Best beer? You can’t go wrong serving this dreamy salad with a simple and uncomplicated pale ale. Variety is the spice of potato-salad life Potato salad lends itself to any number of variations, and this recipe doesn’t disappoint. Try swapping out microgreens for baby spinach leaves. Another interesting slant: crisp up (optional) prosciutto on the grill before breaking into bite-sized pieces and scattering over the salad.