Making this dish is discreet and will 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 put the potatoes within the oven. Our two and a part pound octopus cooked temporarily. Some may say that our octopus was once TOO mushy however that’s arguable according to private choice. (You’ll want to at all times shorten the cooking time by means of 10 to fifteen mins in case you’re no longer on crew mushy.)
We propose the usage of a 4 to 5 pound octopus which feeds 4 other people. You’ll use a smaller or greater octopus however, in case you like a less attackable texture, you should definitely take a look at the octopus for doneness after about an hour of cooking. That is particularly the case in case you go for a smaller octopus as we did.
After preheating an oven to 400°f / 200°c, get started by means of unwrapping the octopus. Be no longer afraid!!
Take hold of it by means of the frame and achieve below the bottom of the pinnacle. You’ll see the beak/eye. Succeed in at 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 respectable – 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 best of the oil.
Lightly unfold peppercorns over the octopus after which position the onion quarters lightly across the octopus within the pan.
Douse the highest of the uncooked octopus with extra olive oil.
Duvet the octopus pan tightly with aluminium foil and position it within the oven. Set the timer for 90 mins.
Within the period in-between, position the potatoes in a bowl of chilly water. About 35 mins earlier than the octopus is completed cooking, take away the potatoes from the water and position it a baking pan and sprinkle salt lightly over the potatoes. Combine the potatoes till they’re lined 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 means 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 break them together with your hand (palm or fist) or gently with a spatula.
It’s now time to plate the dish.
Get started by means of laying down the potatoes. Protecting the potatoes well 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 12 months.
