I’m fortunate enough to live near a grocery store that has many interesting and exciting ingredients that inspire my culinary creativity. When I make my weekly shopping list, I typically don’t have dinner options in mind because I like to see what’s available at the store and go from there. And, with the rising price of proteins, and that fact that my kids are burned out on the usual suspects such as chicken, beef and pork, it forces me to think outside of the box. Don’t worry… vegetarian meals are also included in our repertoire, but sometimes we crave the meats.
As I was wandering through the fish department, I came across a package of reasonably priced, cooked, chopped, and frozen octopus that I couldn’t pass up. At the moment I had no idea how I was going to prepare it, but since it was frozen I had time to figure that out.
Octopus is classified as a cephalopod, which is a type of mollusk that has a small internal shell. Squid and cuttle fish also belong to this group. If buying raw octopus, you’ll need to gently simmer it for 1 hour in a pot of salted water with a bay leaf and halved lemon, which will produce a tender texture. The cooked octopus can then be grilled or thinly sliced and used in a salad or as a pizza topping.
After looking around my kitchen, and discovering some potatoes that needed to get used up, I knew I wanted to channel the flavors of Spain and prepare an octopus and potato salad with a smoky paprika vinaigrette.
Because my octopus was already cooked, it cut down on the cook/prep time; all I had to do was pull it out of the freezer and let it defrost. Once it had defrosted, I sautéed the octopus pieces in a hot sauté pan to create some caramelization and flavor. Once they had been seasoned with salt and pepper, they were fantastic, and I could have just snacked on them alone!
To keep this dish very simple and allow the octopus to be the main event, I tossed it with roasted potatoes, a bit of sautéed Spanish chorizo, parsley and a smoky paprika vinaigrette. For a bit of crunch, and to add another commonly used Spanish ingredient, I topped the dish with some toasted almonds.
Warm Octopus and Roasted Potato Salad with Smoky Paprika Vinaigrette
Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe
Yield: 4-6 servings
Active time: 25 minutes
Start to finish: 40 minutes
1 pound russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon smoky paprika, hot or sweet
1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
4-ounces Spanish chorizo, cut into half moons
1 pound cooked octopus pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, rough chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. On a sheet tray, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast until they are golden brown and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and place in a serving bowl.
3. While the potatoes are roasting, prepare the vinaigrette. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard and smoky paprika.
4. While whisking rapidly, drizzle in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, and add the oil. Sauté the chorizo until golden brown and crisp, and then add the octopus, tossing occasionally, until caramelized around the edges. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Transfer the octopus and chorizo to the bowl with the potatoes, and dress with just enough of the vinaigrette to coat.
7. Top with the almonds and parsley, and serve.
I know octopus can be an intimidating creature to work with, but whether you’re cooking it from its raw state or quickly sautéing previously cooked pieces, it’s actually very approachable and can be a new and fun item on the dinner table! Here’s another Spanish-inspired recipe that’s simple to prepare and very delicious!
In my opinion, September is the best time grill here in the Midwest, so you’ll definitely want to join us before the end of grilling season on our patio. If you’re looking to work directly with octopus, don’t miss our Italian Surf and Turf grilling classes where we’ll make Grilled Baby Octopus with Charred Lemons and Radicchio along with Grilled Rib Eyes, Panzanella Salad and Grilled Oranges with Whipped Mascarpone.
Warm Octopus and Roasted Potato Salad with Smoky Paprika Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 pound russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoky paprika, hot or sweet
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 4-ounces Spanish chorizo, cut into half moons
- 1 pound cooked octopus pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, rough chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- On a sheet tray, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast until they are golden brown and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and place in a serving bowl.
- While the potatoes are roasting, prepare the vinaigrette. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard and smoky paprika.
- While whisking rapidly, drizzle in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, and add the oil. Sauté the chorizo until golden brown and crisp, and then add the octopus, tossing occasionally, until caramelized around the edges. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the octopus and chorizo to the bowl with the potatoes, and dress with just enough of the vinaigrette to coat.
- Top with the almonds and parsley, and serve.
