Sunday Flavors

LAGAREIRO'S OCTOPUS

Lagareiro is the owner of an olive oil press so it’s easy to understand why you season a lagareiro’s octopus recipe with 200 ml / 7 ¼ fl oz of olive oil. This Lagareiro style is a way to cook different recipes of fish like the famous Bacalhau à Lagareiro – Lagareiro’s Codfish. One thing in common to all this recipes – Olive oil have the leading role.
In my kitchen, I always use olive oil to cook or season food. Butter, margarine or vegetable oils are used occasionally. I cook this way not because of all the health advices about the exceptional properties of pure olive oil. I cook this way because I love the taste of olive oil, the soul of Mediterranean cuisine.
About this recipe, there are different ways to prepare Lagareiro’s Octopus, all retaining its traditional character. The big option is between char grill or oven roast the octopus after precook it. I prefer to brown it in the oven because you can melt the flavors more efficiently. In addition, because it’s very difficult to have a charcoal fire at home to char grill the fish after boiling it. Then, some call for red, green or yellow bell peppers to be incorporated, others add olives and herbs. Some heat olive oil only with garlic, others add some more flavors. In my opinion, just be creative with it and feel free to modify this recipe as I did from the most traditional one. Enjoy it.

YOU WILL NEED (serves 4):
1,2 kg / 2lb and 10 ¼ oz of clean octopus;
1 ½ onion;
2 bay leaves;
4 to 6 potatoes, in halves or wedges;
1 bell pepper, cut into stripes or squares;
100 gr / 3 ½ oz of olives;
5 garlic cloves, sliced;
1 fresh chili, sliced;
1 teaspoon of paprika;
200 ml / 7 ¼ fl oz of extra virgin olive oil (or less if you prefer);
1 handful of fresh coriander coarsely chopped;
Sea salt
1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice.

METHOD:
Precook octopus with a little water, salt, one whole onion and bay leaves during 30 to 45 minutes, depending on its thickness. You can use pressure cooker to cook it faster. The octopus will exude liquid so don’t be surprised if you have more cooking liquid at the end;
Drain octopus, cut in large pieces and reserve (the head of the octopus can be used as well, but the tentacles cut in large pieces are typical of what is served in restaurants);
In a small saucepan, heat olive oil, garlic, paprika, chili and ½ onion, sliced. Let it cook for around 5 minutes on medium heat;
Boil the potatoes (with skin if possible) in salty water. Into halves, boil it for 8 minutes, into wedges, boil it for only 4 minutes;
Preheat your oven to 190ºC/375ºF;
Into a roasting tray, place octopus pieces along with the drained potatoes, bell pepper stripes, olives and season with sea salt;
Generously drizzle all the cooked olive oil sauce over the roasting tray and brown it in the oven for around 30 minutes;
Before serve, garnish the tray with coriander, coarsely chopped, and drizzle with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice.