Grilled Baby Octopus

Grilled baby octopus is one of our favorite dishes, for a main meal or appetizer. The octopus is cooked until tender with garlic, hot chili peppers and red wine, then grilled to add smoky flavor and crunch. Believe it or not, even children love this dish!

Years ago when we lived in Brazil, our house was just a block from the beach. Living so close to the coast meant fresh seafood at reasonable prices, even during a time of hyperinflation. We fell in love with octopus there and have looked for it and cooked it everywhere we’ve lived, ever since. This same recipe can be made with larger octopuses. Just extend the cooking time until they are tender and cut them into manageable pieces for grilling.

Ingredients
1 lb 10 oz or 750g baby octopus, ink sacs and beaks removed
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 red chili peppers, stems removed
1/2 cup or 120ml hearty dry red wine
A few generous grinds from a black pepper mill

Method
Cook the octopus in a covered saucepan or pot over a medium heat with the garlic, peppers and wine for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The liquid will come out of the octopus and the whole thing will look very soupy.

After the 15-20 minutes are over, take the lid off and continue to cook until the liquid reduces by at least half. Perhaps another 15-20 minutes. The octopus should be fork tender now.

Put the baby octopus on a hot grill just off to the side of the charcoal. Put the lid on because these are going to sputter and spit.

Remove lid every couple of minutes and shift the octopus around. Remove when charred your satisfaction. Ours took about 10 minutes.

Depending on the size of your octopus you might want to chop them up into bite-sized pieces but if they are really tiny, you can serve them whole.

Serve with plenty of fresh lime juice squeezed on and a good sprinkling of flakey sea salt.

Enjoy!

This week our Sunday Supper group is sharing our favorite seafood recipes. Many thanks to Em, our event manager and our host, Claire from Sprinkles and Sprouts.

Love seafood? Check out these Sunday Supper Recipes:

Appetizers

• Chili-Lime Scallops by Girl Abroad
• Cilantro Lime Shrimp by Simple and Savory
• Coconut Mahi Kale Salad with Citrus Dijon Vinaigrette by Gourmet Everyday
• Crab Cake Bites by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Crab Cakes with Tartar Sauce by Palatable Pastime
• Easy Salmon Sliders by Sunday Supper Movement
• Grilled Baby Octopus by Food Lust People Love
• Manhattan Clam Chowder by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Mediterranean Shrimp Bruschetta by The Weekend Gourmet
• Salmon Tartare by Caroline’s Cooking
• Smoked Salmon, Orange and Avocado Salad by Sprinkles and Sprouts
• Ten-Minute Sweet and Spicy Shrimp by Jersey Girl Cooks

Main Dishes

• Cioppino by Monica’s Table
• Easy Tilapia Pomodoro Dinner by My Life Cookbook
• Frutti Di Mare by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lemony Salmon and Asparagus Foil Packets by Our Good Life
• New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp by Flour On My Face
• No Fail Beer Battered Fish by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• One Pan Mustard Crusted Halibut and Vegetables by Pies and Plots
• Pecan Crusted Cod by From the Bookshelf
• Salmon Honey-Lemon Teriyaki by Asian In America
• Saucy Cod Fillets Florentine by Turnips 2 Tangerines
• Scallops with Orange Butter Sauce by My savory spoon
• Seafood Fettuccine Alfredo by The Freshman Cook
• Seafood Laksa by Brunch-n-Bites
• Sheet Pan Salmon by Bottom Left of the Mitten
• Shrimp Salad Sandwich by Soulfully Made
• Shrimp Scampi Pasta by Crazed Mom
• Soft Shell Salmon Tacos with Mango Salsa by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Sweet and Sour Salmon by Cricket’s Confections
• Teriyaki Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa by Wholistic Woman

Marinated Baby Octopus

Baby octopi. Yum!  When we lived in Brazil, one of our favorite appetizers when we went out to eat was tender octopus, seasoned with garlic and dripping in olive oil.  This is my best guess of how it was done because the taste, it's pretty close.

Ingredients
5 lbs or 2.25kg baby octopus, ink sacs and beaks removed
1 cup or 240ml red wine - a perfect use for any old leftovers
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A good glug of olive oil, plus more later for frying
2 crushed cloves of garlic (or more if you like garlic - we do!)

Salt to taste - often the octopus is salty enough

Put the first five ingredients in a Ziploc bag and leave until you are ready to cook but at least half an hour.

Method
Dump the whole lot into a thick bottomed pot with some more olive oil. Cook over a medium heat, covered, for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid will come out of the octupi and the whole thing will look very soupy. 

After the 15-20 minutes are over, take the lid off and continue to cook until the liquid gradually diminishes and you are left with just the octopi, which should be getting a bit sticky. 

(This step could take as long as half an hour.) Add more olive oil so that you are kind of pan-frying the octopi and keep at it, stirring constantly at this point until they are almost completely dry. 

I then turn the whole mess out onto a large cutting board and cut the octopi into small pieces then put them back in the pot to keep warm until you are ready to eat. Here's where you can add a little salt, if the octupi need it. I suppose you could leave them whole if you have the itty-bitty bite-sized ones, but mine were way too big to eat whole.

I promise you that if you have adventurous eaters at your house, they eat this! The pot was half empty before we were ready to serve because people kept taking the lid off and pinching pieces out. Even the kids!