Octopus Two Ways

I sometimes loiter around the Fish counter instead of the ‘Yellow Sticker Fridge’, just for a change of scenery really! But this little treat caught my eye. £1.48??? OK I’m more of a butcher than a fishmonger, but dressing an Octopoid couldn’t be that difficult…..

Ingredients:-

1 Octopus
1 Egg, whisked
Seasoned Gluten free flour ( We added Salt, pepper, Garlic Salt and Onion Salt to season)
1 large Onion, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, crushed
½ a tube of Tomato Purée
1 tin of chopped Tomatoes
1 tsp of mixed Herbs
Fresh home grown Basil
Boiled and drained Rice
Drained Capers
Pasta (Gluten free) of your choice
Olive Oil
Oil to fry

Method:-

(1) Using a sharp knife cut the head from the body and inserted the knife into the body. Remove all the innards and cut the beak out of the middle of the head.
(2) Mix the Rice, Olive Oil, a sprinkling of mixed herbs, the squeeze of half a Lemon and the drained Capers.
(3) Stuff the body part of the Octopus with the Rice mixture. It will expand to take quite a bit of filling.
(4) Wrap in foil with an additional drizzle of Olive Oil and set aside.
(5) Fry the Onion in a little oil until soft.
(6) Season with Salt and Pepper.
(7) Add the crushed Garlic.
(8) Add the tinned Tomatoes and Tomato Purée and simmer for about 10 minutes.
(9) Add the mixed herbs and simmer for a further 30 minutes.
(10) Pre-heat the oven to 170c and also a fryer to a similar temperature.
(11) Pop the stuffed body section in the oven.
(12) Cut the head section in half.
(13) Egg wash and then flour and fry until it just floats.
(14) Boil and drain the Pasta.
(15) Serve both sections over the Pasta, with the Tomato based sauce drizzled over and garnished with a little Basil.
(16) Squeeze the remaining Lemon juice over and enjoy.

I slightly over cooked the crispy coated bits. But I’ll know if we ever happen across an Octopus again. Still very tasty though.