grilled octopus

Recipe by Doug Blair,  Executive Chef, Cassique @ Kiawah Island Club, South Carolina, USA.

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SERVES 8

Ingredients

Octopus

• 1 3-5 lbs. Octopus
• 1 cup Kosher Salt
• 1 oz. Olive Oil
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Romesco Sauce

• 1 Large Shallot (medium diced)
• 1 oz. Grape Seed Oil
• 2 oz. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Tbs. Aged Sherry Vinegar
• 2 Red Bell Peppers (de-seeded ribs removed roasted)
• 1/3 pt. Marcona Almonds (toasted)
• 1 clove Small Garlic
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Fava Beans

• 60 Fava Beans (skin on)
• 1 C Kosher Salt to 1 G water

Buerre Fondue

• 4 Tbs. Butter
• 1 Tbs. Water

Garnish

• 6 ea Scallions (bias cut)

Preparation


Octopus

Scrub the entire octopus thoroughly with kosher salt to remove the exterior gel. A salt slurry will develop while scrubbing. 

Rinse thoroughly and place in boiling water. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-90 minutes depending on the size of the octopus until knife tender. 

Remove and chill in an ice bath. 

Individually remove the tentacles close to the head and discard the head. Oil, salt and pepper the tentacles and place on a very hot grill until brown on the outside, approximately 2 minutes per side. 

Cut into pieces and set aside.


Romanesco Sauce

Sweat the shallot until translucent in grape seed oil then chill in a refrigerator.

Blitz all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.


Fava Beans

Combine Kosher salt and water and bring to a boil. Blanch the fava beans for 4 minutes, remove and chill in ice water then immediately remove the outer skin and save the inner bean. 

Buerre fondue- whisk butter into the simmering water until emulsified

Before serving heat the fava beans in the buerre fondue.

Pancetta (small diced)- cooked until brown but still tender
​
Warm pancetta to serve.


Assembly

Spread some romesco sauce on a plate. Arrange the octopus on top and garnish with the fava beans, scallion and pancetta.

Wine Match

Albariño, Do Ferreiro, Cepas Vellas, Rias Baixas, Spain, 2013

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The Cassique clubhouse at Kiawah Island Club, image courtesy Kiawah Island Club.