serves
5
prep
10 minutes
cook
1:45 hour
difficulty
Mid
serves
5
people
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
1:45
hour
difficulty
Mid
level
Upcoming On Demand
Shane Delia's Malta
series • travel
PG
series • travel
PG
Ingredients
Poached octopus
- 1 octopus, head and beak removed
- 1 bulb garlic
- 1 lemon
- fronds from half a fennel bulb
- Extra virgin olive oil and salt, to season
- pickled onion rings, to garnish, optional
Cherry tomato dressing
- 150 ml good-quality extra virgin olive oil
- 3 g ground coriander seed
- 4 g ground aniseed
- 20 g garlic, sliced
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 15 saffron threads, added to 3 tbsp hot (not boiling) water and steeped for 10 minutes
- 12 trussed cherry tomato
- 3 cups red wine
- 200 ml sherry vinegar
- 5 g cracked pepper
- Salt
- 75 g raisins
- 150 g cooked chickpeas
- 50 g roasted walnuts
- Small handful of marjoram leaves, picked (about 6-7 leaves)
- Small handful of mint leaves, pickled (about 6-7 leaves)
- Small handful of basil (or parsley) (about 6-7 leaves)
Resting time: 20 minutes
Instructions
- To poach the octopus, heat a large pot of water to 96˚C and place in whole octopus, garlic, lemon and fennel fronds. Cover and poach for 45 minutes. Allow to sit in the warm water for another 20 minutes off the heat, then remove from water and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the cherry tomato dressing. Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan, , add coriander seed, aniseed, garlic and cinnamon and toast until until the flavours release. Add the steeped saffron, including the water, and reduce a little, until the flavours are aromatic.
- Remove from heat, add the cherry tomatoes and red wine to the pan, then return to stove and continue to reduce until the wine is thick and sticky and the tomato has softened a little. Add the sherry vinegar, cracked pepper, salt, raisins, chickpeas and walnuts. Bring the mixture back to a boil and let it simmer for another minute. Remove the dressing from heat and add marjoram, mint and basil. Loosen with more olive oil.
- To finish the octopus, barbecue over coal or an open-flame BBQ until it is charred, around a few minutes on each side. If neither is available, heat a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the octopus on both sides until golden brown. Set aside on a plate to cool slightly.
- Cut the charred octopus into pieces, place on a serving platter and top with the cherry tomato dressing. Garnish with pickled onion rings (optional).
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Upcoming On Demand
Shane Delia's Malta
