Grilled Baby Octopus

After a shopping spree to Super H Mart - (which it turns out has been there for years, I've just been uninformed) I have some frozen baby octopus that I want to make in two styles- Basque and Greek.

Ingredients
baby octopus -  I had 16

For poaching liquid
4 cups water
1.5 cups white wine
.25 cups lemon juice.

Marinade
3/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic
3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
splash of lemon juice

Greek style
Olive oil and lemon

Basque style
Boiled new potatoes - sliced into rounds
Sweet paprika
olive oil.



Thaw, rinse and drain octopus.

Add poaching liquids in a pot, add octopuses and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 45 minutes-hour while poaching, combine marinade ingredients in big seal top bag.

Drain and cool octopus, add to marinade in bag.

Put in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, overnight works too.

Prepare charcoal grill (you can use gas but it won't have the same flavor)

Drain and place octopuses in grilling basket.

Grill over high heat for minutes until crispy and there is some char on them.

Remove from heat and basket.

To serve

Greek style
Halve octopus
Drizzle with  olive oil and lemon juice.

Basque Style
Arrange sliced potatoes on plate
Rough chop the octopus, put on potatoes sprinkle with sweet paprika, drizzle with olive oil.

They both were good. The Basque style is  a little darker in flavor as would be expected from the smoked paprika. The Greek style was a little brighter flavor; perfect for a summer day.

Personally, I preferred the Basque style. Damn fine!

Until next time Eat Well & Keep Digging!

The Gastronomic Gardener
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