3 Kind Grilled Octopus Recipes

GRILLED OCTOPUS

Steps:

• Fill a large pot 1/2 full with water. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt, peppercorns, and the wine cork; bring to a boil over high heat.
• Meanwhile, place octopus on a cutting board. Using a wooden spoon or meat mallet, pound the octopus multiple times, starting in the middle and moving down each tentacle to tenderize the meat.
• Dip tentacles into the boiling water 3 times, holding them in the boiling water 2 to 3 seconds each time, until the tentacles curl up. Submerge entire octopus in the boiling water. Bring water back to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until octopus is fork-tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Grill octopus until charred on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Remove from heat, slice into pieces, and place on a serving platter. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, squeeze lemon over top, sprinkle with parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

GRILLED OCTOPUS WITH KALE, TOMATOES, AND BEANS

Steps:

• Place octopus and wine in a large pot. Peel 2 garlic cloves; add to pot. Add enough water to cover by 2". Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until octopus is tender, about 1 hour. Transfer to a plate; let cool. Cut octopus into 4" pieces. Remove as much of slippery outer purple coating as possible without removing suction cups.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500°F. Place remaining garlic cloves and rosemary in a large roasting pan. Add whole tomatoes, drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are blistered and slightly charred. Let cool. Peel garlic.
• Toast coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until aromatic and slightly darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Let cool. Place in a resealable plastic bag. Using a rolling pin or the bottom of a skillet, coarsely crush seeds. Whisk together coriander, 3/4 cup oil, and vinegar in a small bowl. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in another large pot. Working in batches, add kale and cook until softened and slightly browned, adding additional oil by tablespoonfuls if dry. Season to taste with salt. Transfer kale to a large bowl and toss with 1/4 cup of coriander vinaigrette.
• Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Warm 3 cups cooked beans in a small pot with 1/4 cup of vinaigrette. Toss octopus with half of remaining vinaigrette; grill until charred, about 3 minutes per side.
• Divide tomatoes, garlic, kale, and beans among plates. Top with grilled octopus, drizzle with some vinaigrette, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

GRILLED OCTOPUS

Steps:

• Combine octopus, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic and 1 lemon, cut in half, in saucepan along with water to cover. Turn heat to medium, cover, and bring to boil. Adjust heat so that liquid simmers slowly, and cook until octopus is tender, for 30 to 90 minutes, depending on whether you're using two smaller octopuses or 1 larger one (check for doneness with point of sharp knife). Drain, discarding everything but octopus. (You can prepare this 24 hours in advance up to this point; cover, and refrigerate octopus.) Set aside.
• Start charcoal or wood fire, or preheat gas grill; fire should be quite hot. Grill rack about 4 inches from heat source. Cut octopus into large serving pieces, brush it with half the olive oil, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Grill it quickly until outside browns but inside is not dried out. Cut remaining lemon into wedges.
• Brush octopus with remaining olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges, hot or at room temperature, garnished with parsley.

GRILLED OCTOPUS WITH GIGANTE BEANS AND OREGANO

Steps:

• Sprinkle octopus with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add octopus to pot and cook uncovered until octopus releases its liquid and most of liquid in pot evaporates, turning occasionally with tongs, 20 to 25 minutes. Add wine, onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until octopus is very tender when pierced with fork, about 2 hours. Using tongs, transfer octopus to rimmed baking sheet and cool. If desired, rub off outer skin from octopus and discard. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Cut octopus tentacles crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place on platter and brush with 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill octopus slices until heated through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to bowl and add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, and oregano; toss to coat.
• Place Gigante beans in large shallow bowl. Top with octopus mixture and serve.