Cooking octopus. Octopus can be cooked in many ways, such as grilling, boiling, and braising. The cooking time will depend on the size of the octopus and the method used. Translation in French: poulpe.
Octopus
How do I cook octopus?
- Preparing octopus
- Cooking octopus in a pot (in water)
- Cooking octopus on a grill
- Cooking octopus in broth (braised)
What to pair octopus with?
Octopus can be served as an appetizer or a main course. It pairs well with potatoes or white beans.
Braised octopus can be served with green beans and rice. Grilled octopus goes well with a mixed salad (aragula, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes).
Cooking shellfish & seafood: clams, crab, crayfish, lobster, mussels, octopus, oysters, prawn, scallops, shrimp, squid...
Preparing octopus
Here’s how to prepare octopus, depending on how you bought it! Octopus can be purchased fresh or frozen from most supermarkets.
If you purchase fresh octopus, you will need to clean it yourself. First, remove the head and beak from the body. Then, remove the skin and the eyes. The inside of the octopus should be washed a lot under running water.
If you purchase frozen octopus, it will already be cleaned and ready to cook. Simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Cook octopus in pot
Cooking octopus in a pot. To boil octopus:
1. Place the octopus in a large pot of salted water.
2. Simmer for 30-40 minutes or until tender. For larger octopuses, cook for 60-90 minutes.
Grilled octopus
Cooking octopus on a grill. Grilled octopus is a popular dish in Mediterranean cuisine. To grill octopus:
1. Preheat your grill to high heat.
2. Brush the octopus with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until the tentacles are charred and crispy.
Cook octopus in broth
Cooking octopus in broth. Braising octopus means cooking it low and slow in a broth. To braise octopus:
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, and other aromatics and cook until fragrant.
2. Add the octopus and enough liquid (such as white wine, tomato sauce, or chicken stock) to cover it halfway. Simmer on low heat for 1-2 hours or until the octopus is tender.
Octopus is a mollusk (a cephalopod to be specific). Cephalopods include squid, cuttlefish, and nautilus. Octopus has a unique appearance with its eight arms and bulbous head. It is commonly found in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Ocean. Octopus is quite different from squid (squid has 10 tentacles, not 8).