Boiled Octopus (Greek Xtapodi)

Fresh octopus might not be a common sighting outside Greece but nonetheless it’s one of those dishes that is worthwhile going out of your way to find (i.e. your local fishmonger). For many years I have been wary of cooking this little delight at home. I was surprised to discover that there is really not that much into it. Boil it till done but still "crunchy", fry it for that extra crispiness and deglaze with some fresh Mediterranean spices and ouzo! And oh my what a delight it turned out to be.

35 oz octopus, cleaned (1100 g)
2-3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
½ cup dry white wine (100-120 mL)
1-2 Tbsp. pure honey
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 onions, sliced
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
2 bay leaves
fresh parsley, chopped

Into a large pan, add the tentacles of the octopus, along with the red wine vinegar, the wine and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Boil with the lid on, on medium low heat, for 40-60 minutes. Do not add any water, because the octopus, will shrink and emit enough water. Be careful not to add any salt, as the octopus is  salty enough and not to over-boil it, because it will get mushy. When cooked nicely, the octopus should be crunchy.

When done, remove the octopus from the pan and keep the juices into a bowl.

Into a very hot pan, add the octopus, without the juices, and colour nicely for 1 minute. This will allow the octopus to get crispy on the outside.

Add the sliced onions and tomatoes, chopped into the pan, along with 1-2 Tbsp. of olive oil and the garlic and stir. Let it cook for about 5 minutes, stirring every now and again, until the onions caramelize.

Deglaze with the balsamic vinegar and wait for it to evaporate. Pour in the juices from boiling the octopus, that you kept aside, and 2 Tbsp. of pure honey. Season well with freshly ground pepper, sprinkle with some chopped parsley and cook for 3-5 minutes.

Serve with some crusted bread and ouzo or tsipouro.

Makes 4 servings.