Making this dish is discreet and can also be completed in lower than two hours. The toughest paintings is within the prep and dealing with of the octopus. After that comes the timing of when to position the potatoes within the oven. Our two and a part pound octopus cooked briefly. Some would possibly say that our octopus used to be TOO soft however that’s arguable in line with private desire. (You need to at all times shorten the cooking time by way of 10 to fifteen mins if you happen to’re now not on crew soft.)
We propose the use of a 4 to 5 pound octopus which feeds 4 folks. You’ll use a smaller or better octopus however, if you happen to like a less assailable texture, remember to take a look at the octopus for doneness after about an hour of cooking. That is particularly the case if you happen to go for a smaller octopus as we did.
After preheating an oven to 400°f / 200°c, get started by way of unwrapping the octopus. Be now not afraid!!
Snatch it by way of the frame and achieve underneath the bottom of the pinnacle. You’ll see the beak/eye. Achieve in the back of the beak and squeeze. The beak will then come out. As soon as it’s popped, use a knife to slice the beak off. It’s reliable – your octopus is now blank and able for cooking.
Drizzle olive oil generously over the ground of a tumbler baking dish and position the octopus on most sensible of the oil.
Flippantly unfold peppercorns over the octopus after which position the onion quarters calmly across the octopus within the pan.
Douse the highest of the uncooked octopus with extra olive oil.
Quilt the octopus pan tightly with aluminium foil and position it within the oven. Set the timer for 90 mins.
Within the intervening time, position the potatoes in a bowl of chilly water. About 35 mins earlier than the octopus is finished cooking, take away the potatoes from the water and position it a baking pan and sprinkle salt calmly over the potatoes. Combine the potatoes till they’re coated with a skinny however beneficiant layer of salt.
With half-hour left at the timer, position the baking dish with the potatoes on a separate rack within the oven.
About 5 mins earlier than the octopus is cooked, warmth the olive oil in a small sauce pan. Upload garlic cloves and fry for a pair mins till they’re brown at the edges. Take away the pan from the warmth.
Take away the octopus and potatoes from the oven. Take away the foil from the octopus and take a look at for doneness by way of sticking a knife into the octopus. The knife will have to take away simply. Do the similar with the potatoes.
Gently brush the salt off the potatoes and destroy them along with your hand (palm or fist) or gently with a spatula.
It’s now time to plate the dish.
Get started by way of laying down the potatoes. Protecting the potatoes smartly with the octopus slices. Pour at the scorching garlic oil (together with the cloves) and garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley.
The completed dish is perfect for a vacation meal. Then again, it tastes nice any time of the yr.
