Mediterranean Octopus

This dish was inspired by the appetizer at Acanto restaurant in Chicago. We loved it so much, we ordered it twice - in one meal! It had great spice and flavor, the octopus was firm but tender and the accompaniments of onion and fennel brought it to life.  I did some research and decided to try and make this at home to enjoy whenever I want!  

I'm my own toughest critic and I think it turned out really really good!  My absolute toughest critic - my husband, said it was amazing off the bat and already better than the restaurant version!  You're welcome!  Enjoy! 

Ingredients for marinade: 

~2 lb Octopus
1 yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tsp Aleppo pepper seasoning
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/2 cup white wine

1 bay leaf

1 TBSP olive oil
2 cups of seafood stock (preferably homemade)

Directions for marinade: 

1. In a medium pan, add olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and spices and saute for 5 minutes. Add wine, stock and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. 

2. Dip Octopus tentacles in the pot 3 times to shock the tentacles. Then place the Octopus in the pan and cover. Reduce heat to keep it on a low simmer, no boiling. Cook for a total of 60 minutes, flip the octopus halfway through. 

3. Check for tenderness at 60 minutes. A sharp steak knife should enter easily at the thick part of the tentacle. 

4. Remove from the heat and let cool down completely. Cover and refrigerate the Octopus and all the marinade liquid overnight - or at least 4 hours. 

.....the next day

Other Ingredients:

1 sweet onion, sliced

1 fennel bulb, sliced (reserve some fronds for garnish)

4 garlic cloves, sliced

juice of 1 lemon, plus another cut in half for the grill

1/2 cup white wine

1 TBSP capers

1 tsp Aleppo pepper

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp oregano

2 TBSP olive oil

For garnish: 

Chopped parsley

Fennel fronds

Grilled lemon

Directions for Sauce:

1. Add olive oil to a medium sauce pot. Heat over medium high heat. Dry capers on a paper towel.  When oil is hot enough, fry capers for 1 minute and then drain on paper towel. Reserve for garnish. 

2. To that hot oil, add you onion and fennel and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Saute on low heat for about 20 minutes, tossing often until smooth and silky soft, not brown. 

3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. 

4. Add oregano, Aleppo pepper, salt and pepper and toast the spices for 30 seconds. Deglaze with white wine and lemon juice. Simmer for 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Reserve

Final steps to bring it all together:

1. Heat your grill to high heat (I prefer a real grill for this but if you have to do this inside, ok, make sure you use a grill pan though!)

2. Remove the Octopus from the marinade. Pat dry. Cut the tentacles from the body right where they start, leaving the body and tossing it. :(  

3.  Remove some of the purple skin on the Octopus tentacles with a spoon or butter knife. 

4. Brush Octopus with olive oil and sprinkle all over with salt, pepper, oregano, Aleppo pepper. Brush two lemon halves with olive oil. 

5. Place the lemon, cut side down on the hot grill. Grill the tentacles for 3 minutes each side over high heat. You want to get good char on the Octopus here - very important for texture! 

(While this is happening, make sure your onion mixture is still warm; if not, turn the heat on low right now.)

6. Take your Octopus off the grill. Cut it into bite-sized pieces. Toss it in a bowl with a ladle or two of the warm onion sauce mixture. Toss in some parsley, fennel fronds, and fried capers, and mix together. 

7. Serve in a shallow dish with grilled lemon on the side. Sprinkle with a little more parsley, fennel fronds, and fried capers on top. Eat right away!  

*An alternative plating here could be the warm onion sauce mixture on the bottom of the plate. Place the cut octopus on top and garnish with fried capers, fennel fronds, and parsley. For those who may want to enjoy the charred texture of the Octopus a little more, this may be preferred. 

Wine to cook with and drink: 

Familia Deicas

Atlantico Sur Albarino

Progresso, Uruguay

2025