Go Back
–+ servings

Grilled Octopus with Arugula and Lemon

Anne Kjellgren @ Food Wine and Flavor
Tender octopus grilled until blistered, plated over peppery arugula with lemon wedges. A simple Greek-style meze, with the wine to pour beside it.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Greek
Servings 4 as a meze, 2 as a light main

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole octopus 2 to 2 1/2 pounds (900 g to 1.1 kg), cleaned (frozen and thawed is fine)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil plus a little more to finish
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano optional
  • 4 cups about 100 g arugula
  • 2 lemons cut into wedges
  • Flaky sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Place the octopus in a heavy pot with the bay leaves, peppercorns, and vinegar. Add no water and no salt. Cover and cook over low heat for 50 to 60 minutes. The octopus will release its own liquid and simmer in it. It is done when a paring knife slides into the thickest part of a tentacle with little resistance. Turn off the heat and let it rest in the liquid for 10 minutes.
  • Lift the octopus out, separate the tentacles from the head, and pat everything very dry. Dry surfaces char; wet ones steam. Toss with the olive oil and the oregano, if using.
  • Heat a grill or heavy grill pan until very hot. Grill the tentacles 2 to 3 minutes per side, until blistered and dark at the edges.
    Grilled Octopus with Arugula and Lemon- Octopus on the Grill
  • Spread the arugula on a wide plate and lay the octopus over it. Finish with flaky salt and a little more olive oil, and serve at once with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Notes

Notes

  • Frozen octopus is often more tender than fresh, because freezing breaks down the fibers. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Do not salt the cooking liquid. The octopus is already briny, and the salt comes at the end.
  • Expect the octopus to lose close to 40 percent of its weight as it cooks. A 2-pound octopus serves four as a meze.
  • No grill? Use a cast-iron skillet over high heat, or broil on the highest setting for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
  • Make ahead: the octopus can be simmered up to 2 days in advance and kept in its liquid in the refrigerator. Grill just before serving, and lay it over the arugula at the last moment so the leaves stay crisp.
  • Squeeze the lemon at the table, not in the kitchen. The acid is brightest when it meets the char fresh.
  • Serve the wine well chilled, but leave it a few minutes out of the ice so the stone and salt have room to show.
Keyword easy octopus recipe, Greek grilled octopus, grilled octopus recipe, grilled seafood recipe, how to grill octopus, octopus and wine pairing, octopus meze recipe, octopus with arugula and lemon, simple grilled octopus, tender grilled octopus
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!