Grilled Octopus Summer Salad

Category, CuisineDifficultyBeginner
Yields1 Serving
Prep Time20 minsCook Time12 minsTotal Time32 mins

This recipe is a simple way to cook octopus. When grilled on the barbecue, the octopus absorbs all the beautiful smoky aromas. Paired with a fresh tomato and pickled onion salad, this is the perfect hot summers night dish.

 500 g octopus tentacles
 2 tbsp olive oil
 2 garlic cloves, minced
 1 tsp dried oregano
 ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
 ½ tsp sea salt
 ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
 1 lemon, halved
 250 g punnet cherry tomatoes, sliced
 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
 ½ tbsp loosely packed parsley leaves, roughly chopped
QUICK PICKLED ONIONS:
 2 tbsp caster sugar
 1 tsp fine sea salt
 ¼ cup white vinegar
 ½ red onion, thinly sliced
DRESSING:
 5 ½ tbsp pickle liquid (from quick pickled onion)
 5 ½ olive oil
1

To quick pickle the onions; mix together the sugar, salt and vinegar, stir to dissolve. Add the sliced red onions. Set aside until required.

2

Prepare your barbecue for direct cooking over high heat (230°C to 290°C).

3

In a dish, coat the octopus with olive oil, garlic, dried oregano, chilli flakes, salt and pepper.

4

To make the dressing, mix together 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil with 1 ½ tablespoons of the pickle liquid.

5

Once the barbecue has preheated, brush the cooking grills clean. Place the lemon halves onto the cooking grill, cut side down and sear over direct high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until caramelised, remove from the barbecue and set aside. Grill the octopus tentacles over direct high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, halfway through the cooking time. Remove the tentacles from the barbecue and set aside to rest for a couple minutes.

6

Drain the red onion slices. Toss the pickled red onion together with the cherry tomatoes, capers and parsley. Lightly drizzle the salad dressing over the tomato mixture.

7

Slice the octopus into 1cm slices. Serve the octopus with the salad and caramelised lemon.

RECIPE TIPS: It is important to not undercook or overcook the octopus as it will become tough. To avoid the need of boiling the octopus to tenderise it, use a meat thermometer to gauge its perfect doneness. The final internal temperature for octopus is 55°C.
GRILING TIPS: It is important to not undercook or overcook the octopus as it will become tough. To avoid the need of boiling the octopus to tenderise it, use a meat thermometer to gauge its perfect doneness. The final internal temperature for octopus is 55°C.

Ingredients

 500 g octopus tentacles
 2 tbsp olive oil
 2 garlic cloves, minced
 1 tsp dried oregano
 ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
 ½ tsp sea salt
 ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
 1 lemon, halved
 250 g punnet cherry tomatoes, sliced
 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
 ½ tbsp loosely packed parsley leaves, roughly chopped
QUICK PICKLED ONIONS:
 2 tbsp caster sugar
 1 tsp fine sea salt
 ¼ cup white vinegar
 ½ red onion, thinly sliced
DRESSING:
 5 ½ tbsp pickle liquid (from quick pickled onion)
 5 ½ olive oil

Directions

1

To quick pickle the onions; mix together the sugar, salt and vinegar, stir to dissolve. Add the sliced red onions. Set aside until required.

2

Prepare your barbecue for direct cooking over high heat (230°C to 290°C).

3

In a dish, coat the octopus with olive oil, garlic, dried oregano, chilli flakes, salt and pepper.

4

To make the dressing, mix together 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil with 1 ½ tablespoons of the pickle liquid.

5

Once the barbecue has preheated, brush the cooking grills clean. Place the lemon halves onto the cooking grill, cut side down and sear over direct high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until caramelised, remove from the barbecue and set aside. Grill the octopus tentacles over direct high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, halfway through the cooking time. Remove the tentacles from the barbecue and set aside to rest for a couple minutes.

6

Drain the red onion slices. Toss the pickled red onion together with the cherry tomatoes, capers and parsley. Lightly drizzle the salad dressing over the tomato mixture.

7

Slice the octopus into 1cm slices. Serve the octopus with the salad and caramelised lemon.

RECIPE TIPS: It is important to not undercook or overcook the octopus as it will become tough. To avoid the need of boiling the octopus to tenderise it, use a meat thermometer to gauge its perfect doneness. The final internal temperature for octopus is 55°C.
GRILING TIPS: It is important to not undercook or overcook the octopus as it will become tough. To avoid the need of boiling the octopus to tenderise it, use a meat thermometer to gauge its perfect doneness. The final internal temperature for octopus is 55°C.

Notes

Grilled Octopus Summer Salad
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