blaggard
New member
I fancy adding octopus to our menu. I know how to catch them but have no idea how to kill, gut or cook them, or which bits apart from tentacles are edible, any ideas welcome.
octopus
- Thread starter blaggard
- Start date
edsailing
Member
I was told by a Greek taverna owner that after it is caught it should be beaten against a rock 40 times and then hung up in the sun for 2 days. After that the edible bits (not sure what these comprise other than the tentacles) should be cut up and marinated in olive oil, lemon and garlic for 8 hours.
His octopus dishes were fabulous!
His octopus dishes were fabulous!
saltwater_gypsy
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A traditional method is by biting through a vital nerve thet leads to the brain.
The location of that nerve is however a trade secret.
Happy biting!!!!!!
The location of that nerve is however a trade secret.
Happy biting!!!!!!
sarabande
Well-known member
don't try it with the Blue-Ringed Octopus of Australia ! It is deadly poisonous. Its saliva contains tetradotoxin and stops you breathing pronto.
jimbaerselman
New member
1. Keep your fingers away from his beak (underside centre of his legs)
2. Slit body/head with sharp knife, turn it inside out. Wait til he stops wriggling. He has a mostly distributed nervous system, so there's no brain worth talking about (though he's a bright fellow, easily trained to do tricks).
3. Cut out beak, follow digestive tract, remove, together with undigested bits in stomach, then eyes and ink sac. Some people remove the spongy gills. Wash sand out. All the rest is edible.
4. It's going to be tough meat unless (preferred) you slow stew for 2hrs plus, or - spend half a day bashing him onto the rocks (also kills him) then drying him out.
5. Cube and slice to 4-5cm chunks. Simmer lightly. He'll give off loads of juice - keep going until the juice is really thick - probably 20 minutes.
6. Assume 1 kilo of Octopus from here on . . . that's probably a couple of small ones.
7. Meanwhile, chop onions and garlic (1kg octopus/2-3 onions around 6cm diameter (or 6 shallots or one enormous onion)/5-7 garlic cloves.
8. Add about 100cl oil (any sort with little flavour) and the chopped onion to the simmering octopus, fry till there's just a little colour (3 - 5 min)
9. Now you start to add juicy things, very much to your own taste, to simmer very quietly for 2hrs plus. I like tomato flavours and rich red wine, with a bit of a spicy tingle - others will have other ideas. So, for me:
400ml red wine
100ml wine vinegar for a sweet & sour touch (not malt, spoils flavour)
440ml tin of chopped tomatos
40 - 60ml tomato puree (less for a lighter flavour)
For the tingle, I add several generous grindings of black pepper - probably a couple of teaspoons at least. More later if you like a good tingle, or even 1ml of powdered chili . . . careful with this. Sometimes best added bit by bit at the end. Depends who else you're serving.
10. And now for the aromatics. Piny herbs go well. Rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, whatever is to hand. If you add them early, be generous, 'cos the flavour will disperse a bit during the simmering. For that reason, I do oregano or margoram at the end of the simmering.
11. If it dries before 2 hr, the heat was too high - add red wine to stop it burning!
Freezes fine,
Nice with rice,
Faster with pasta,
Enjoy!
2. Slit body/head with sharp knife, turn it inside out. Wait til he stops wriggling. He has a mostly distributed nervous system, so there's no brain worth talking about (though he's a bright fellow, easily trained to do tricks).
3. Cut out beak, follow digestive tract, remove, together with undigested bits in stomach, then eyes and ink sac. Some people remove the spongy gills. Wash sand out. All the rest is edible.
4. It's going to be tough meat unless (preferred) you slow stew for 2hrs plus, or - spend half a day bashing him onto the rocks (also kills him) then drying him out.
5. Cube and slice to 4-5cm chunks. Simmer lightly. He'll give off loads of juice - keep going until the juice is really thick - probably 20 minutes.
6. Assume 1 kilo of Octopus from here on . . . that's probably a couple of small ones.
7. Meanwhile, chop onions and garlic (1kg octopus/2-3 onions around 6cm diameter (or 6 shallots or one enormous onion)/5-7 garlic cloves.
8. Add about 100cl oil (any sort with little flavour) and the chopped onion to the simmering octopus, fry till there's just a little colour (3 - 5 min)
9. Now you start to add juicy things, very much to your own taste, to simmer very quietly for 2hrs plus. I like tomato flavours and rich red wine, with a bit of a spicy tingle - others will have other ideas. So, for me:
400ml red wine
100ml wine vinegar for a sweet & sour touch (not malt, spoils flavour)
440ml tin of chopped tomatos
40 - 60ml tomato puree (less for a lighter flavour)
For the tingle, I add several generous grindings of black pepper - probably a couple of teaspoons at least. More later if you like a good tingle, or even 1ml of powdered chili . . . careful with this. Sometimes best added bit by bit at the end. Depends who else you're serving.
10. And now for the aromatics. Piny herbs go well. Rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, whatever is to hand. If you add them early, be generous, 'cos the flavour will disperse a bit during the simmering. For that reason, I do oregano or margoram at the end of the simmering.
11. If it dries before 2 hr, the heat was too high - add red wine to stop it burning!
Freezes fine,
Nice with rice,
Faster with pasta,
Enjoy!
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blaggard
New member
many thanks jim, you're clearly a devotee. Have you ever tried pressure cooking them?
jimbaerselman
New member
Nah, sorry, don't do pressure cookers. I can't see what's going on.
Picked that recipe up in Syros, also a fine big squid recipe. It's worth going there just to try these stews. Extract from the Cruising Association Web Guide for the Cyclades, Syros anchorages:
Picked that recipe up in Syros, also a fine big squid recipe. It's worth going there just to try these stews. Extract from the Cruising Association Web Guide for the Cyclades, Syros anchorages:
PLEIAS
New member
When fished easiest way to kill is to put your fingers under the head-pouch and turn it inside out just like you would do with your socks.Reading that looks cruel but it disables them as it is paralysing them thus releasing your hand from their tendacles.Best beat it on a rock till you've had it (elders say 100 times ) and them find a hard surface by the water and rub it for a couple of minutes and wash the foam that it releases and repeat a coyple of times.Cut out ink pouch allthough some consider it a delicasie.Light a small fire with birchwood and grill it without anything - feast with plenty of ouzo or tsipouro.If you think that when you fish it it looks rather small then put it back in the water.Some people when they have a surplus they stick it in the freezer for a couple of days thus avoiding the beating part.Recipy of Jim is delicious but nothing beats a beach fire grill and plenty of drinks.Enjoy it.
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
Well-known member
I have cough and eaten hundreds when i was in Greece. To catch it you need to find his hiding hole and then squiz a bit of bleach; within 5 seconds the octopus will shoot out so make sure you are fast!!. grab it and bite it between his eyes to kill it. To make it tender you will need to beat it on a flat stone for 5 minutes using plenty of sea water; then you need to rub the octopus on the stone.
The whole job takes less than 10 minutes and after you have finished, you can cook it anyhow you like; with tomatoes; with wine or try my favourite; on the charcoal; good appetite
The whole job takes less than 10 minutes and after you have finished, you can cook it anyhow you like; with tomatoes; with wine or try my favourite; on the charcoal; good appetite
TQA
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PLEASE do not do this. The damage done by "fishing" with bleach is much greater than the one you get for the pot.
"Bleach kills the reefs and the coral becomes overgrown with algae or green moss. Some reefs are taken over by sea urchins. Most fish will leave the area of a bleached reef. One gallon of bleach can poison about 500,000 gallons of sea water!" [ Bahamas Conservation group ]
Use a stick with a large treble hook bound to the end. That will pull it out and hold it most times.
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CAPTAIN FANTASTIC
Well-known member
I was only talking about a few drops; and perhaps you are right, what i was doing in the 60's and was acceptable , is not acceptable in the 21st century.
So, even better, don't use bleach; use rock salt; octopus hate it!! this is how we used to get out the sandy eels form deep in the sand.
Caretta
New member
I learned how to pressure cook octopus from a Greek fisherman's wife.
Ok, trust you now know how to clean it, etc. Put the octopus in pot, cover with water and boil for about 6 minutes (NOT under pressure). Some scum will come to top, drain and refill pot with fresh water and octopus. Add some red wine vinegar or red wine to water, just a bit half cup or so, cover and bring to pressure. Cook under pressure for 8 minutes. Drain the ocotpus and transfer to a bowl. Dress it with some olive oil, salt, red wine vinegar (or lemon) and oregano. Toss well. ENJOY.
Metabarca
Well-known member
easy with a pressure cooker. Add a potato to assure tenderness of octopus. Cook and clean off the skin. Chop into 1 cm pieces, add pieces of boiled spuds, salt, oil and paprika.
