Spanish Octopus

Spanish Octopus

yields 8 servings

Ingredients:
8 oz.     Prosciutto scraps
4 ea.     carrot, peeled and rough chop
3 ea.     Yellow onion, rough chop
4 ea.     celery ribs, washed and rough chop
3 ea.     lemons
1 bu.     parsley stems
4 ea.     bay leaves
20 ea.     black peppercorns
1⁄2 cup     salt
3 gal.     water
1 ea.     Spanish dayboat octopus (about 5-6 lbs.)
as needed    Preserved lemon, cut into ½” by 1⁄16” slivers
as needed    Niçoise olives, cut into slivers
1 ea.             lemon, split
as needed    High-quality Spanish EVOO
as needed    Cyprus flake sea salt
as needed    Smoked Spanish paprika
as needed    Very thinly sliced chives

Cooking Directions:
1. Bring the first ten ingredients to boil. Reduce to simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Sever the head from the octopus at the base. Remove the beak. Lay a large towel out on flat work surface and spread the octopus out on the towel. Cover with another towel and, using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, proceed to “beat” each of the tentacles to help tenderize them.
3. Once the broth has simmered, add the octopus and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Cool.
4. Cut the octopus at the natural separations to remove each tentacle. Wrap and chill until needed.
5. At service, toss tentacles with olive oil and sea salt.
6. Grill over a hot fire until nicely scarred. Remove to plate and keep warm.
7. To Finish: Cut the last 1-2 inches of the tentacles off and place one tip per plate. Slice each tentacle into half-inch-thick pieces and, beginning at the tip, begin to stand up the pieces to give it a slightly curved shape. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the length of each tentacle. Drizzle with oil then delicately lay out the preserved lemon and scatter the Niçoise olive slivers. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes, smoked paprika and chives.  Serve immediately.

Courtesy of Jonathon Gillespie, Executive Chef, Waterfall Club, Clayton, Ga.