French cuisine

Medium

Octopus on a Bed of Croutons and Sauce Vierge

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Octopus on a Bed of Croutons and Sauce Vierge

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Try this refreshing salad any time of the year as a starter or an entrée. Here we are serving it on a bed of croutons and my version of Michel Guérard’s famous Sauce Vierge. Plus, there’s no need to discard the head and the broth. Cut the head into strips, deep-fry them, and use the broth for the most amazing seafood soup!

Recipe

PRE TIME: 10 min

COOKING TIME: 1 hr 20 min

TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 30 min

3 SERVING

Ingredients:

Octopus Boil
1 tsp. Ground Salt
1 medium Carrot
1 large Onion
1½ stalk Celery Satlk
1 leaf Bay Leaf
1 clove Garlic
1/4 tsp. Peppercorns
2.3 lb. Octopus
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, Minced
1 tbsp. Fresh Parsley
1/4 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
2/3 tsp. Ground Salt
1 loaf Baguette
Sauce Vierge
1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 tsp. Ground Salt
to taste Ground Black Pepper
2 medium Tomato, chopped
1¼ tbsp. Fresh Basil
1¼ tbsp. Fresh Parsley
Fried Octopus Head
1/2 cup Flour
1 tsp. Paprika Powder
1 tbsp. Chile Powder
1/3 tsp. Ground Salt

Directions:

Step 1

Fill a stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Generously salt the water and add in 1 roughly chopped carrot, onion, celery, bay leaf and peppercorns. Lower the heat to a rolling simmer.

Step 2

Dip in the tentacles of the octopus into the simmering water 3 to 4 times first, then fully submerge in the water.

Step 3

Cook for about 1 hour or until the tentacles are fork-tender.

Step 4

Croutons: In a mixing bowl, add extra virgin olive oil, finely chopped parsley, garlic paste, salt and pepper, and other desired herbs and mix well. Set aside.

Step 5

Cut a baguette into evenly squared pieces. Add the bread pieces into the mixture and mix well.

Step 6

Bake in the oven at 300 F / 150 C for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, move croutons around and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the croutons are crunchy.

Step 7

Sauce Vierge: In a large bowl add lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, mix 1 finely chopped tomato, chopped basil, and chopped parsley, set aside.

Step 8

Check to see if the octopus is tender by inserting a knife into the thickest part of a tentacle where the tentacles meet the head. If the knife goes through with very little resistance, turn the heat off and let the octopus cool down in the water for another hour.

Step 9

Take the octopus out and dry it well.

Step 10

Cut the tentacles into small pieces.

Step 11

Plate with the croutons, sauce vierge, and mixed vegetables.

Step 12

Fried octopus head: In a small plate mix a cup of flour with cayenne pepper, paprika, salt and pepper.

Step 13

Cut the head into medium-sized strips, season with salt and dredge in flour.

Step 14

Pour enough oil into a deep skillet or a deep fryer. There should be enough oil to deep-fry the octopus strips. Preheat the frying oil to 375° F / 190° C.

Step 15

Deep-fry the strips for about 2 to 3 minutes then take them out and place on a paper towel to remove the excess oil.

Step 16

Serve with the salad on a separate dish.

Final Notes

1. In the case of octopus, it is better to use a frozen one because they are cleaner and the texture will actually be better after they are cooked. 2. If you have a fresh octopus, thoroughly clean and rinse it under cold water. Be sure to remove the beak as well as the eyes and intestines. 3. The cooking time varies based on the size of the octopus. For a 2-pound octopus it normally takes about 1 hour. If your octopus is smaller, you may check the tenderness with a knife after 30 to 40 minutes. The meat should be very tender but still have a bit of resistance.