Octopus in garlic almond sauce

Name: Octopus in garlic almond sauce
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 kg (2 lb) baby octopus; ½ small red pepper (capsicum), seeded; 125 g (4 oz) flaked almonds; 3 cloves garlic, crushed; ⅓ cup (80 ml/2¾ fl oz) red wine vinegar; ¾ cup (185 ml/6 fl oz) olive oil; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

October 30, 2013

Time:1-2 hoursServes:4

A recipe from the Good Food collection.

Ingredients

1 kg (2 lb) baby octopus
½ small red pepper (capsicum), seeded
125 g (4 oz) flaked almonds
3 cloves garlic, crushed
⅓ cup (80 ml/2¾ fl oz) red wine vinegar
¾ cup (185 ml/6 fl oz) olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

Step 1
Using a small knife, carefully cut between the head and tentacles of the octopus and push the beak out and up through the centre of the tentacles with your finger. Cut the eyes from the head of the octopus by slicing off a small disc with a sharp knife. Discard the eye section. To clean the octopus head, carefully slit through one side and rinse out the gut. Drop the octopus into a large pan of boiling water and simmer for 20–40 minutes, depending on size, until tender. After 15 minutes cooking, start pricking them with a skewer to test for tenderness. When ready, remove from the heat and cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
Step 2
For the sauce, heat the griller to high. Grill the red pepper skin-side-up until charred and blistered. Cool in a plastic bag, then peel and place in a food processor with the almonds and garlic, then purée. With the motor running, gradually pour in the vinegar followed by the oil. Stir in ½ cup (125 ml/4 fl oz) boiling water and parsley and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.
Step 3
To serve, cut the tentacles into pieces. Place in a serving bowl with the sauce and toss to coat. Serve warm, or chill and serve as a salad.

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