Grilled Octopus with Chimichurri

Ingredients

• 3 Large octopuses (cleaned)
• 1 Onion (quartered)
• 5 cloves Garlic
• 3 Bay leaves
• Peppercorns (to taste)
• Culantro or cilantro (fresh leaves)
• 1 cup Parsley (measure before chopping)
• 2 tbsp Cilantro (chopped)
• 4 cloves Garlic (finely minced)
• 0.5 Red onion (finely chopped)
• 1 Red bell pepper (finely chopped)
• 0.5 tsp Cumin
• 0.5 tsp Red pepper flakes
• 0.5 tbsp Dried oregano
• 0.25 tsp Paprika
• 0.25 cup Vinegar
• 1.5 Lemon juice (juice of one and a half lemons)
• 0.25 cup Olive oil
• Salt (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large pot with boiling water, add the quartered onion, 5 garlic cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, and culantro or cilantro leaves.

2. 2

   Dip the octopus three times into the boiling water (the 'scaring' the octopus technique) before dropping it in completely. Cook over medium heat until tender (usually between 40 and 50 minutes depending on the size).

3. 3

   While the octopus is cooking, prepare the chimichurri by mixing the parsley, cilantro, minced garlic, red onion, red bell pepper, cumin, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt to taste.

4. 4

   Refrigerate the chimichurri for at least 30 minutes before using to allow all the flavors to meld.

5. 5

   Once the octopus is tender, remove it from the water and drain well.

6. 6

   Preheat the grill or a large skillet over high heat with a bit of oil.

7. 7

   Grill the octopus until golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside, approximately 3-5 minutes per side.

8. 8

   Serve the octopus hot, generously drizzled with the prepared chimichurri.

Notes

Octopus cooking time may vary depending on size; check for tenderness by piercing the thickest part of a tentacle with a knife. If you don't have a grill, a cast-iron skillet works excellently for getting a good sear.

Nutrition per serving

• octopus
• seafood
• roasted
• grill
• chimichurri
• dinner
• main course
• easy recipe