Octopus in Red Wine
That most divine denizen of the deep, the octopus, braised in red wine, bay, and black pepper and served alongside fondant potatoes and gravy made unctuously decadent with seafood stock. A pleasingly rustic dish full of distinct flavors lends this recipe a simple elegance.
Ingredients
Cooking Instructions
step 1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
step 2
Put the Octopus (6.6 lb) into a large pot with the Red Onion (1), Bay Leaves (2), and Black Peppercorns (7). Cover with Red Wine (1 bottle) and bring to a boil and then simmer gently for 1-1.5 hours.
step 3
Test the tenderness by poking a toothpick into the thickest part of the octopus. If the flesh gives too much resistance, boil for a further 15-30 minutes.
step 4
Once tender, drain the octopus, retaining about a cup (250 ml) of the cooking liquid, and leave to cool to room temperature.
step 5
For the potatoes, use a sharp knife to trim off the edges of each Potatoes (1.1 lb), creating a hexagonal shape. Arrange in a lidded roasting dish and pour over the Chicken Stock (1 cup).
step 6
Push the Fresh Rosemary (2 sprigs) between the potatoes, drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle over the Smoked Paprika (1 1/2 Tbsp) and Sea Salt (to taste).
step 7
Close the lid of the dish and roast the potatoes for 35 to 40 minutes in the oven.
step 8
Combine the Olive Oil (2/3 cup), Red Wine Vinegar (2 tsp), Lemon Juice (1), Lemon Zest, Garlic (2 cloves), Capers (10), and Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley (6 sprigs) in a dish and use an immersion blender to liquify.
step 9
Season with Sea Salt (to taste) and Ground Black Pepper (to taste) and drizzle over the braised octopus. Heat a griddle pan to smoking hot and grill the octopus for 2–3 minutes or until just charred.
step 10
Transfer the roast potatoes and grilled octopus onto a warmed serving platter. Pour the leftover octopus cooking liquid into the potato pan and deglaze over high heat. Reduce the liquid until thickened and pour over the octopus and potatoes.
step 11
Serve the octopus with favorite side dishes. Enjoy!
