What can you cook from octopus? Overseas guest: secrets of cooking octopus. Octopus with fire

Octopus is a popular delicacy with a great, unique taste. This formidable predator has made its way onto our tables from the very depths of the ocean. True, only small octopuses are usually eaten, as they have very tender meat and an unusual sweetish-sour taste.

Traditionally, octopus is cooked in Asia and Europe. Typically in Asian cuisine they are boiled and then used in salads and snacks. Before cooking, the tentacles need to be washed, covered with cold water and cooked for 5-10 minutes after boiling.

After this, the octopus should cool in the water that was boiled. In Japanese cuisine, octopuses are usually made into sushi and even eaten alive. For us, Mediterranean cuisine will be more familiar, where it is customary to fry octopus in olive oil and stew with vegetables and wine.

Octopus recipe

Cooking octopus is not at all difficult, even if you are doing it for the first time. The meat turns out very tender and tasty. In addition, it is very healthy, as it is rich in B vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and phosphorus. We offer you an easy recipe for cooking octopus in the Mediterranean style.

700 g frozen octopus
150 ml dry red wine
1 large onion
1 tbsp. tomato paste
Olive oil
Bay leaf
Allspice
Salt pepper

How to cook octopus

Thaw the octopus and cut it into pieces. Just trim off the tentacles and cut the center in half. Heat a large amount of olive oil in a saucepan and lightly fry the finely chopped onion.
Then add the octopus and fry it for a couple of minutes until it begins to release its water. Pour in the wine and simmer for a few minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
Now add water with tomato paste so that it almost completely covers the octopus. Salt, pepper and add bay leaf. Simmer covered over low heat for about an hour.
Check the water periodically and add boiling water as needed. But there shouldn’t be a lot of liquid, it should be thick and rich, not like broth. Later the liquid is used as gravy.
20 minutes before the octopus is ready, add diced potatoes to the pan. However, you can use any other side dish to your taste, for example, buckwheat or spaghetti. When the octopus is cooked, the meat will be soft and tender.

There is no need to defrost octopus before cooking. Throw them directly into the ice into a pan where salted water has already boiled. Let it boil over high heat, reduce the heat and cover with a lid, then cook for fifteen minutes over low heat. Remove from heat and leave covered for another fifteen minutes.

After this, the octopuses are ready to eat. There is no need to clean them, there are no insides in them.

Let's prepare risotto.

For seafood risotto, I always use shrimp head and shell broth. When I peel raw shrimp, I freeze it all just for broth. I boil the shells and heads for twenty minutes, strain, and the rich broth with an intense seafood flavor and aroma is ready.

Peel the onions and garlic and chop very finely. Heat the butter and olive oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan and simmer the vegetables until soft over low heat, avoiding browning.

Add dry rice, preferably special varieties - Arborio, Italica, and, stirring, let the rice absorb the fat. Pour in dry white wine and let the wine soak into the rice over low heat. After the wine has been absorbed, we begin to add hot shrimp broth in small portions, each new after the previous one has been absorbed. Periodically you need to stir the rice and cook it for about 25 minutes, until the rice is soft.

Just a few decades ago, the average resident of our country was practically not given the chance to try exotic seafood if he lived far from the sea or ocean coast. Soft squid meat or tender scallops simply did not reach the store in proper form. With the development of industry and the advent of freezers, it became possible to purchase any product brought to the store from a distant region or even from another country. One of these products was octopus meat, from which you can prepare a simple appetizer, a multi-component salad, and even a main course.

Composition and benefits

The octopus is one of the representatives of the octopus family, living mainly in tropical and subtropical latitudes at a depth of about 100–150 meters. The large head, in the lower part of which is the creature’s mouth, ends with eight flexible legs with suction cups. Tender meat, similar to squid meat, has a calorie content of about 80 kcal, 60 g of protein, 10 g of fat and 8 g of carbohydrates per 100 g of product. The chemical composition includes the following elements:

vitamins (A, E, K, C and group B);
minerals (sodium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and others);
saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega-6, Omega-3).

Eating octopus, like any other seafood, is beneficial for thyroid diseases. High levels of sodium, iron and potassium strengthen blood vessels and normalize blood pressure. Calcium, fluorine and phosphorus can restore the health of tooth enamel, hair and nails. People with atherosclerosis are especially advised to consume such meat, since it is rich in Omega-3 acid. The high content of amino acids and vitamins strengthens the immune and nervous systems, accelerates metabolic processes in the body and fights sleep disturbances and chronic fatigue. Low calorie content allows people suffering from obesity to consume this protein, helping to lose weight and speed up metabolism.

Contraindications for eating octopus are individual allergies, gastrointestinal diseases and problems with the pancreas. You should not overuse this seafood during pregnancy and lactation, since the porous structure of the tissues of the marine life is capable of accumulating and retaining toxins. If you buy a low-quality product, there is a small chance of getting food poisoning, which will have little effect on an adult, but will cause serious harm to the baby.

Product selection and preparation

To prepare an exotic product that is tasty and healthy, you need to choose it correctly and prepare it for heat treatment. Fresh octopus meat has too short a shelf life; you can try it in a good restaurant or during a tourist trip to coastal regions, but at home it is best to purchase frozen goods. You can buy it in the fish department of any supermarket; the carcasses will already be cut up.

In some cases, only the tentacles, which are the most delicious part, can be purchased separately.

When choosing frozen octopus meat, you should pay attention to several features.

The larger the size of the carcass, the more “rubbery” the finished meat will be. In addition, the younger the octopus, the sweeter and more tender its taste. The juiciest are the small octopuses, which do not exceed 10–15 cm in length.
The fresh product has a brownish-purple skin and a seawater aroma. Of course, frozen seafood rarely has a strong odor, but if the package smells bitter or something sour, you should postpone the purchase or visit another store.
The packaging should not contain too much snow or pieces of ice. Large pieces of ice indicate incorrect technology for freezing the product or its repeated defrosting. This product is not worth purchasing.
If there is a large store in the city that specializes in selling seafood delicacies, then there is a small chance of finding fresh octopus there. In this case, you need to pay special attention to the appearance of the carcass. The skin should be smooth and shiny, and the eyes should not be covered with a cloudy veil. Octopus has a specific smell, but if it gives off a “rotten” smell, it means the product is not suitable for consumption.

Before preparing dishes with octopus at home, it must be properly defrosted and cleaned. In order not to spoil the product, it is better to follow the step-by-step instructions.

To defrost, the carcass is placed in a deep dish and left in the refrigerator compartment or on the kitchen table until all the ice turns into water. You should not use boiling water or a microwave oven for defrosting, otherwise the meat will lose its elasticity and become excessively porous and loose.
Wash off all the mucus from the defrosted meat under high pressure of water. This is best done with strong circular movements of the fingers. If the animal is young and has a thin skin, then it will be very difficult to remove it and it is better to do this after boiling or frying the meat. If the octopus was large, then it is better to cut off the skin at this stage, otherwise it will give the meat bitterness.
Most often, this is where the preparation of meat ends, since frozen carcasses are sold already cut. If the octopus was purchased entirely, then it is necessary to cut off its tentacles, cut out its beak and eyes. Remove the insides from the inside of the head, turn it inside out and rinse well again in cold water. After this, you can start preparing dishes.

Recipes

The easiest way to cook octopus is by boiling. To do this, you need to place it whole or cut into small pieces in boiling salted water for 7-8 minutes. Cool the finished dish and season with any side dish or sauce. It is important to clearly limit the cooking time, otherwise the meat will become tough and unsuitable for chewing. If it was not possible to remove the meat from boiling water in time, you should put it in boiling water again and cook for about 40–45 minutes. In this case, the seafood will become soft again, although it will slightly lose its taste.

It is much more difficult to cook pan-fried or grilled octopus so that it remains juicy and flavorful. Without experience working with such a product, it is quite difficult to do this, so for the first preparation you need to choose the simplest recipe. To better experience the natural taste of seafood, do not use a large amount of spices or sauce.

If quite recently we saw exotic inhabitants of the deep sea only on television screens, today they can be found on store shelves. And some of them make very tasty dishes! How to cook octopus so that it is tasty and healthy?

How to make the right choice?

First of all, you should choose an octopus.

Frozen or fresh? If you want to get the maximum benefit and enjoy the delicate taste, then it is advisable to choose fresh. But you will probably have to cut it up, although you can ask the seller about it (he will probably have to pay). And if you want to save effort and time, you can also buy frozen octopus; in this form, the carcasses are usually sold already completely cut up and even cook faster, and this is very convenient.
Pay attention to the size. Small octopuses have more tender flesh, medium ones are more nutritious, but a large adult octopus weighing about two to three kilograms can be “rubbery.”
Evaluate the appearance. But such a criterion will only be relevant if you buy fresh octopus. The surface of the carcass should be shiny, the color should be burgundy-brown and uniform. No damage is allowed.
Study the smell. It is specific, but quite pleasant. It definitely shouldn’t taste like rotten meat.

Proper preparation for cooking

Preparation consists of several stages:

First, the carcass must be thawed if it is frozen. But this should be done only at room temperature, that is, naturally, and not in a microwave oven.
Next, rinse the octopus thoroughly under running cold water to remove all the mucus.
It is not worth cleaning the carcasses before cooking; the skin is very, very difficult to remove, so it is better to get rid of it after heat treatment (then it will come off quickly). But if the octopus is adult and large, then its shell will be quite dense, so it can be scraped off with a knife at this stage.
Now you need to cut the carcass (frozen will probably already be cut). To do this, it is more convenient to first cut off the tentacles, but this is not necessary. Next, cut off the lower part of the head, that is, the support on which the tentacles are held. In it you will find a mouth opening similar to a tooth or beak. It needs to be removed. To do this, first squeeze it out, and then cut it out with a knife. Also cut out the eyes.
Now wash the inside of the head well to remove all the offal, as well as ink, if there is any there. Then you can turn it out and wash it again.
If the octopus is large, then it is advisable to beat it before cooking.

How to cook?

If you decide to cook octopus for the first time, then the easiest way for you will be boiling. But how long should you cook it to make it tasty? Processing should be short, otherwise the meat will become stringy and tough, like rubber (this is a very common problem).

Your task is simply to destroy all pathogenic organisms. Small octopuses only need to be cooked for about five to seven minutes, larger ones - about 20. But a large octopus can be cooked for about an hour.

You can check readiness with a toothpick. Pierce the largest part of the carcass, that is, the head. If the toothpick goes in easily and quickly, then the octopus is ready. If not, then cook it some more. And after cooking, you can remove the skin.

How to cook?

How to properly cook octopus if you want to make a more interesting dish? Below are some interesting options.

Option #1

You can bake octopus with potatoes. Here's what you'll need:

1 kg of octopus (or a whole carcass);
1 kg of potatoes;
parsley;
five cloves of garlic;
three tablespoons of lemon juice;
olive oil;
salt to taste.

Preparation:

Potatoes need to be peeled, cut into slices and boiled.
Boil the octopus and cut it (small octopuses do not need to be chopped).
Grease the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil.
Place the potatoes mixed with the octopus in the mold, sprinkle everything with lemon juice and olive oil, and sprinkle with chopped garlic and chopped parsley. Don't forget to salt the dish.

Option No. 2

Try stewing octopus at home using sour cream and milk. Prepare:

500 grams of octopus;
2 glasses of milk;
half a glass of sour cream;
five tablespoons of flour;
three tablespoons of white wine;
a tablespoon of lemon juice;
three cloves of garlic;
two tablespoons of olive oil;
salt and pepper to taste.

How to cook?

Octopuses need to be boiled for about 10 minutes, adding lemon juice and wine to the water.
Now clean the carcasses and cut into portions if they are large.
Heat olive oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic.
Add the milk and when it is hot, dissolve the flour in it.
Cook the sauce until it boils, then add sour cream.
Now lay out the octopuses.
Place pepper and salt in the pan, simmer for five minutes and remove from heat.

Option #3

You can prepare a delicious salad. Here's what you'll need for this:

500 grams of octopus;
4 potatoes;
head of red onion;
10 cherry tomatoes;
lettuce leaves;
60 grams of pitted olives;
5 tablespoons of olive oil;
1 tablespoon lemon juice;
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar;
a teaspoon of liquid honey.

Preparation:

Boil the octopus, peel and cut.
The potatoes need to be boiled in their skins, peeled and cut into cubes.
Cut the cherry into halves.
Cut the onion into half rings.
Just tear up the lettuce leaves.
To prepare the sauce, mix vinegar, oil, lemon juice and honey.
Mix the ingredients, add salt and season with sauce.
Salad ready!

The octopus should only be immersed in boiling water. Moreover, real experts advise doing this gradually: first immerse the tentacles, and when they slightly change shade and begin to curl, you can lower the entire carcass.
During cooking, do not add salt under any circumstances, it will make the pulp hard. For taste, you can use some fragrant seasoning.
If you don’t want to pound the octopus, you can freeze it; this technique will also soften the meat.
It is advisable to reduce the heat to a minimum; the carcasses should literally simmer in barely boiling water, and not cook in a seething broth (then the taste will deteriorate).
To make the pulp more tender, you can add a cork from a wine bottle (not plastic, of course) during cooking.
Octopus goes well with various sauces, especially creamy and soy sauces.
You can serve the dishes with any side dishes, for example, vegetables, spaghetti, rice.
To remove the skin faster, after heat treatment you can pour cold water over the octopus.

Choose the best recipe and be sure to surprise your family and guests with an unusual and tasty dish!

Feb 5, 2016 Olga

How long to cook octopus

It all depends on the size of the octopus:
Large sizes (more than 3 kg) cook – 1 hour (60 min.)
Medium size (up to 3 kg) cook – 20 minutes
Boil small octopuses – 5 minutes

Do not cook octopus for longer than the specified time, as the meat will become rubbery. Octopus tastes very much like squid. You can also read the article “How long to cook squid.”

At the end of the article you can watch a video recipe for cooking octopus from the chef. He describes in detail the entire cooking process. I would also like to present a video recipe for cooking small octopuses.

How to clean an octopus

If the octopus is frozen, then you need to defrost it at room temperature or under cold water (this will be faster).

Rinse well under running water. Remove teeth (pull them out with force and cut them off). Cut off the tentacles (if it is a medium or large carcass). Make a cut along the body and remove the entrails. The ink bag should not be thrown away, as you can make a lot of tasty things from the ink. If the carcass is not small in size, then you should remove the skin, but first you need to cook it for 5-10 minutes, and then cool it and scrape it off with a knife. Ready.

Several culinary recipes for cooking octopus.

How to prepare octopus salad with tomatoes.

Product composition:
Boiled octopus meat – 100 gr.
Cherry tomatoes – 3 pcs.
Root vegetable of boiled potatoes – 50 gr.
Fresh or frozen green peas – 50 gr.
Olive oil or any refined oil – 30 gr.
Spices: salt and ground black pepper to taste
Garlic – 2 cloves

For refueling
Olive oil – 40 grams, lemon juice – 1 tbsp. spoon, liquid honey – 10 g.

How to prepare octopus salad with tomatoes:
Mix all ingredients for dressing.
Cut the octopus meat and potatoes into large pieces, and then fry in vegetable oil. We cut the tomatoes into two or four parts. Boil the peas and cool. Combine the prepared products, add salt and pepper, season with dressing, and mix.

Fried octopus recipe

Products:
Octopus – 1 kg.
Olive oil – 100 gr.
Oregano – 1 tbsp. spoon
Yellow lemon – 2 pcs.
Salt to taste

How to cook fried octopus:
Prepare the octopus as described above. Cook for 5 minutes, cool, clean the skin with a knife. Rinse the carcass and cut into 2 cm pieces. Preheat the oven to 180-200 degrees. Add oil to a baking sheet or frying pan and place the octopus pieces. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Serve pieces of octopus with lemon and oregano.