Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Crispy marinated baby octopus Recipe
Right here’s a simple, outrageously scrumptious approach to cook dinner child octopus: simmered till tender, marinated in daring Mediterranean flavours, then seared till crispy. Add a Greek Salad, bread for mopping and a glass of chilled wine for the proper summer season meal!
Introducing……the RecipeTin Household child octopus recipe! Tightly held for years, I’ve lastly been granted permission to share. I’m utterly mad for it – and I’m hoping to make you fall in love with it too.
I do know octopus is a thriller to many, not sure methods to method cooking it. So my objective right now is to indicate you the way simple it truly is and persuade you the way unbelievably scrumptious it’s! Assume – tender flesh with crispy legs, infused with a stack of Mediterranean lemon-garlic flavour. You don’t want any particular gear, and there’s no fiddly preparation required.
A observe on the octopus debate – As with a variety of different meals, akin to veal, and even Australia’s favorite fish – salmon – there are moral debates concerning the consumption of octopus. For octopus, the dialog centres round its intelligence and sustainable farming. I select to play my half by sourcing octopus from sustainable Australian sources. Ask your fish monger. They need to know!
There appears to be plenty of info “on the market” for ideas and tips to tenderise octopus. I don’t get why – it’s easy. Simply simmer on a low warmth till it’s tender. It normally takes 1 hour, regardless of octopus dimension (child octopus or legs of huge ones), and you may simply pull one out at any time to verify.
As soon as it’s tender, you may eat it as is, simply drizzled with a dressing or a sauce (strive chimichurri, romesco or Sauce Vierge). However I prefer to marinate it in a daring Mediterranean lemon-garlic marinade to infuse with flavour then sear till crispy!
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Braise till tender – Simmer the octopus with aromatics over low warmth for 1 hour or till it’s tender, checking first at 45 minutes. The braising liquid truly has a correct identify, court-bouillon, which is a rapidly cooked broth generally used for poaching seafoods.
To verify if the octopus is tender, take it out of the pot, reduce one leg and have a nibble to verify. We wish it tender, not robust and chewy. However not overly mushy and mushy.
For the child octopus dimension I get, it’s normally bang on 1 hour. If they’re slightly bigger, it may take 70 minutes or so. If smaller, they could be executed across the 50 minute mark. Count on massive octopus legs to take across the identical time, regardless of being thicker. It’s sort of like cooking chuck beef – there’s a minimal time it takes for the meat fibres to breakdown regardless of the scale of the meat you might be cooking (small beef stew cubes vs an entire pot roast).
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Drain – As soon as the octopus is tender, drain in a colander then pick all of the bits – bay leaves, onion and many others, as finest you’ll be able to. No have to be meticulous right here, it’s high-quality if there’s little bits caught within the octopus.
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Marinate 24 hours – Combine the marinade substances in a bowl, then pour over the octopus in a bowl or container and toss nicely. Make sure to do that whereas the octopus continues to be scorching as a result of it’s porous and can take in the marinade higher.
Cool utterly then cowl and refrigerate to marinate for 12 to 24 hours. Don’t shortcut the marinating time! It’s actually value it, for flavour infusion into the octopus. I examined it with a 6 hour marinate and it had noticeably much less flavour.
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Sear till crispy! Cook dinner the octopus on the BBQ or in a big skillet on the range till the legs are golden and crispy. Over medium excessive warmth, it solely takes round 4 to five minutes. Rotate recurrently to get color throughout, however give the octopus most sear-time sitting upright which is able to get the legs good and crispy. All people’s favorite half!!
To serve, pile the octopus on a platter, drizzle with lemon juice, sprinkle with parsley and chilli and add some recent lemon wedges so individuals can add extra lemon to style.
The “arduous and quick” methodology – Octopus may also be cooked by searing in a short time over excessive warmth, like steak. The flesh might be tender though chewier than the slow-simmer methodology I’m sharing right now. Though I’ve had nice quick-seared octopus in my time, I discover that the standard of octopus actually comes into play. Immediately’s braising methodology is safer – and to be trustworthy, I want it as a result of you may get extra flavour within the dish!
The infant octopus
Effectively, firstly, we’d like child octopus. 🙂 It’s offered recent or frozen at seafood outlets. If frozen, let it thaw and drain off the surplus water earlier than utilizing.
The octopus ought to be offered already cleaned which suggests the beak (bone like piece on the pinnacle) has been eliminated. The pores and skin ought to nonetheless be on and we is not going to be eradicating it as a result of it softens when cooked.
TIP: You’ll be able to velocity up thawing by placing the frozen octopus in a sink stuffed with water.
Braising and marinating
And right here’s what you have to braise and marinate the octopus – nothing uncommon right here!
The braising liquid is sort of a lemony vegetable inventory, infused with flavour from lemon, bay leaves, parsley, garlic and black peppercorns. It’s pretty impartial, and this step is extra about getting some refined flavour into the octopus flesh.
The marinade – Octopus is definitely very gentle and delicate so it’s a terrific sponge for flavour. On this recipe, I’m utilizing a daring Mediterranean marinade made with lemon, garlic, olive oil and a great hit of purple chilli flakes for little pops of warmth. These flavours are a pure match with octopus which is a favorite all throughout the Mediterranean!
The garnish – I exploit a sprinkle of parsley (simply decide some leaves off the stems earlier than including into the braising liquid), lemon and slices of huge purple chilli, extra for a splash of vibrant color somewhat than further spiciness (as a result of the big chillies aren’t spicy).
A dish this fabulous wants little greater than a easy backyard salad and a few crusty bread to mop up all these juices you see on the plate. Add a glass of chilly wine and you’ve got your self a spectacular meal for a scorching summer season day.
Having stated that, right here’s what you see pictured in pictures on this submit.
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Greek Salad – very becoming for this Mediterranean octopus dish! The massive chunks of recent juicy cucumber and tomato pair very nicely with the daring garlic flavours of the octopus.
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Crushed potato salad with parmesan (photograph above) dressed with the flavour-loaded leftover marinade from the octopus. I boiled some child potatoes with the octopus for the final half-hour, then drizzled over the leftover marinade, added an additional squeeze of lemon and olive oil (I used to be slightly quick on dressing), sprinkled generously with parmesan, pinch of parsley, then served it on the aspect with the octopus.
YUM.
I do know this recipe might be removed from the preferred on this web site, being that octopus just isn’t, nicely, you already know, chicken breast. 😂 And it makes me slightly unhappy to think about all these individuals on this world who won’t ever expertise the awesomeness that’s child octopus.
However for these of you studying, I actually hope you give this a go sometime! It’s slightly particular, not one thing you’ll find at your normal suburban eating places. And it’s simply really easy!
What do you assume?? Have I satisfied you to provide it a strive? In the event you make it, please let me know what you assume! I hope you find it irresistible as a lot as I do. – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 2 kg / 4 lb baby octopus , rinsed (Note 1)
- 4 litres / quarts water
- 1 onion , halved, skin on
- 6 garlic cloves , smashed (Note 2)
- 1 tsp black peppercorns (sub 1/2 tsp ground pepper)
- 2 tsp cooking salt (kosher salt)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
- 3 parsley stems (with leaves)
- 2 bay leaves , fresh or dried
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves , very finely minced (or use garlic press)
- 2 tsp lemon zest (one large lemon)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes (red pepper flakes), optional
- 1/2 tsp each cooking/kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tbsp canola oil (for BBQ or large skillet)
- 2 tsp parsley , finely chopped (optional)
- 1 large red chilli , finely sliced (optional)
- Lemon wedges (highly recommended)
Instructions
- Braising – Put all the braising liquid ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add octopus, bring back up to the boil, then reduce the heat to low so the water is simmering very, very gently. Scoop off and discard scum off the surface when it accumulates.
- Braise 1 hour until tender, first checking at the 45 minute mark, or until octopus is tender (take a little nibble to check!).
- Drain octopus in a colander. Pick out and discard the bay leaves, onion etc. Transfer octopus into a bowl.
- Marinate – Mix marinade ingredients in a bowl. Pour over the octopus (while still hot). Toss, allow to fully cool, cover with cling wrap then marinate overnight in the fridge. (Note 4)
- Cook until crispy (BBQ) – Heat a BBQ hot plate on medium high until hot. Spread oil across the hot plate. Use tongs to transfer the octopus onto the BBQ (leave residual oil behind), spread out and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, rotating as needed to brown all over, and most especially ensuring the legs are golden and crispy. (Stove – use a large skillet, cook in 2 or 3 batches).
- Serve – Pile octopus on a plate. Sprinkle with parsley and chilli, add lemon wedges. EAT and be happy! Serve with bread for mopping or see Note 4 for crushed potatoes pictured in post dressed with residual marinade.
Notes
1. Baby octopus is sold fresh and frozen. I buy mine frozen in 2 kg / 4 lb blocks at my local seafood shop. Thaw, drain well, then use per recipe. No need to peel the skin, it’s cooked until tender. You won’t even notice the skin.
Tenderness – easy to tell when it’s ready, it should be tender but not overcooked so it gets mushy. Start checking at 45 minutes. Mine are usually done in 1 hour, for slightly larger ones it might take 70 minutes.
Large octopus legs – Keep whole and follow recipe as written. They should take around the same time to become tender even though they are thicker.
Fresh octopus can take a little longer than frozen as freezing kick-starts the tenderising process.
2. Smashed garlic cloves – leave the skin on. Place the side of a chef’s knife on the garlic then bang with the palm of your hand to make the garlic burst open but mostly hold together. Garlic flavour will infuse into the braising liquid but it’s easy to pick out later.
3. Marinating – Don’t shortcut this. Minimum 12 hours, 24 hours is best for maximum flavour infusion!
4. Crushed potatoes – I boiled 500g baby potatoes with the octopus for the last 30 minutes. Lightly crushed them and poured over the residual marinade after removing the octopus to cook it (it’s flavour loaded, don’t waste it!!)
5. Leftovers will keep for 2 – 3 days in the fridge. I swear it’s even better the next day! I have also been known to intentionally make ahead and to make another batch of marinade (no salt) and put the BBQ’d octopus into the marinade. Then you have a simple marinated octopus situation and it is a ridiculously delicious flavour bomb that’s the perfection addition to a cold seafood platter or a grazing board, or a simple summer lunch.
Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings and 3 tbsp of oil in marinade is not consumed.
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