It is impossible to imagine Greek cuisine without seafood. Along with squid, shrimp and mussels, in all, even the smallest, restaurants you can always try octopus – charcoal-grilled, stewed or in a salad. What do fishermen do with octopus so that it is not tough and how to cook spicy grilled octopus in red wine?
If you buy chilled octopus at the store, it is already fully prepared for further cooking. But what is the case when the octopus is only caught in the early morning and brought to the port by fishermen? A few secrets.
Read also: Shrimp with garlic on skewers. Quick appetizer on grill or grill pan
Octopus consists almost entirely of water. Therefore, if you just put it on the grill, it will not cook properly, because all the liquid will evaporate and the flavor will be just rubbery. Such octopus will spoil the whole impression of a wonderful dinner. To prevent this from happening, immediately after catching the octopus is beaten. Blows should be about a hundred to evaporate all the excess water. After that, the fresh catch should be dried a little more – on an ordinary clothesline. And only then you can start cooking.
Before cooking grilled octopus, it is necessary to cut it properly – remove eyes, beak and ink sac. After that, rinse well under running water.
Ingredients for grilled octopus in red wine:
- Octopus (about 1 kg)
- 200-250 мл красного сухого вина
- 1 red onion or 3-4 shallots
- 3-4 medium tomatoes
- 3-5 garlic cloves
- olive oil
- herbs (cilantro, parsley, oregano) to taste
- 3-4 bay leaves
- freshly ground black pepper
Recipe for grilled octopus in red wine:
- Chop the onion and garlic.
- Pour some olive oil into a pot or deep skillet and saute the onion and garlic.
- Cut the octopus into small pieces (about two centimeters) and put them in a pot or deep pan without adding any liquid. Simmer over low heat for about half an hour with the lid closed.
- Dip the tomatoes in hot water for one minute and peel off the skins. Cut into small cubes.
- Add red dry wine, chopped tomatoes, black pepper and bay leaf. Stew over low heat for about 30-40 minutes until cooked through. The octopus should be soft. You can check if it is ready with a knife.
- When octopus in red wine is ready – add your favorite herbs to the dish to taste.
There is no need to salt the dish, as the octopus itself contains sea salt, which will be enough for a rich flavor.
What to serve grilled octopus with?
Serve grilled octopus with boiled or baked potatoes. It is delicious with a sauce made of olive oil, a couple of garlic cloves and chopped herbs. 2 minutes in the blender and the sauce is ready.