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Pulpo Gallego

Name: Pulpo Gallego
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 360 min
Ingredients: 1 (6-pound) of frozen octopus, thawed; 6 of bay leaves, divided; 1 tsp of black peppercorns, plus ground pepper to taste; 0.75 cup plus 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for grilling; 8 oz of halved baby potatoes; 3 of rosemary sprigs; 1 of lemon, halved; 1 Tbsp of sweet paprika; 0 of Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon; 4 cups of baby arugula; 0.5 cup of pitted Kalamata olives, halved; 1 of roasted red pepper, drained and sliced into thin strips; 2 Tbsp of drained capers; 0.25 cup of sherry vinegar

Louiie Victa

September 3, 2021

Pulpo gallego is a popular Spanish tapas dish made with silky, tender grilled octopus that is sprinkled with sweet paprika and sea salt. To achieve this soft silken texture, octopus is traditionally poached in hot water, just below a simmer, for a few hours. Much care is taken so as not to break the octopus’s skin or to overcook and turn it rubbery. However, using the sous vide feature of the Anova Precision Cooker eliminates any need to worry about the octopus. It does need some time—about five hours—but it will always turn out tender. A quick stint on the grill adds flavorful char marks. This dish is sure to wow your guests at your next dinner party or barbecue.

Serves

Prep Time

01:00

Cook Time

05:00

5 (1)

Ingredients

1 (6-pound)

frozen octopus, thawed

bay leaves, divided

1 tsp

black peppercorns, plus ground pepper to taste

¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons

extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for grilling

8 oz

halved baby potatoes

rosemary sprigs

lemon, halved

1 Tbsp

sweet paprika

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

4 cups

baby arugula

½ cup

pitted Kalamata olives, halved

roasted red pepper, drained and sliced into thin strips

2 Tbsp

drained capers

¼ cup

sherry vinegar

Steps

1. Preheat Oven

Rack

Sous Vide Mode: On

Steam: 100%

Temp: 171°F

Heat: Rear

2. Prep Octopus

Remove the beak with a pair of scissors, as well as the internal organs and ink sac. Be careful not to tear too much into the skin.

3. Hot Water Dip

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 of the bay leaves, along with the peppercorns. Holding the head with tongs, dip the octopus into the water for about 10 seconds and then take it out of the water. (This step preserves the color of the octopus and to prevents the outer skin from coming off during the sous vide cook.) Wait for the water to boil again and repeat the dipping step twice more for three total dips.

4. Portion and Vacuum Seal

Remove the head from the octopus (you can bag and cook this separately, if you’d like) and portion the tentacles two per person. Place each portion in its own vacuum seal bag, along with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 bay leaf, and a bit of pepper in each bag. Seal. (While the bags are not entirely necessary to cook the octopus, they do keep the seafood smell contained and make it easy to flavor the octopus.)

5. Sous Vide

Rack

Transfer to the oven and cook for 5 hours.

Sous Vide Mode: On

Steam: 100%

Temp: 171°F

Heat: Rear

05:00 Timer

6. Chill

When the octopus is finished cooking, transfer to an ice bath to chill quickly. When completely cool, you can either hold the octopus in your refrigerator for about 24 hours to grill at a later time, or continue with the recipe. This step helps to make octopus easier to handle during grilling.

7. Adjust Oven for Potatoes

Rack

Sous Vide Mode: Off

Steam: Off

Temp: 375°F

Heat: Rear

8. Prep Potatoes

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon more olive oil, the rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a sheet pan.

9. Roast Potatoes

Rack

Transfer to the oven and roast until tender, 15 minutes.

Sous Vide Mode: Off

Steam: Off

Temp: 375°F

Heat: Rear

00:15 Timer

10. Grill Octopus

Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high heat. Drizzle a little extra olive oil on the octopus and carefully place the tentacles on the grates. Cook until the octopus is hot to the touch and grill marks appear, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Be very gentle when handling the octopus with your tongs. When the octopus comes off the grill, squeeze the lemon over it and top with paprika and sea salt. Drizzle with additional olive oil.

11. Toss Salad

In the meantime, whisk together the sherry vinegar with the remaining 3/4 cup olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine the arugula, olives, red pepper, capers, and roasted potatoes. Dress the salad with the sherry vinaigrette to taste.

12. Plate and Serve

Serve the octopus on top of a bed of the salad. You can keep the tentacles whole for a more dramatic presentation or slice the octopus into more manageable pieces.