Grilled octopus with olive oil, lemon and oregano — a Mediterranean recipe

INGREDIENTS (4–6 servings):

• 1 whole octopus (about 1.5 kg), well cleaned
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1 cup wine vinegar (for the simmering)
• 80 ml extra virgin olive oil (+ a little for serving)
• Juice of 2 fresh lemons
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
• Lemon wedges, for serving

PREPARATION STEPS:

1. Fill a large pot with water, add the wine vinegar, bay leaves and peppercorns and bring to the boil.
2. Lower the octopus into the boiling water, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 40–50 minutes, until the tentacles are easily pierced with a fork.
3. Drain the octopus, let it cool slightly and cut the tentacles.
4. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper; coat the tentacles well with this marinade and let them rest for 20–30 minutes.
5. Heat the grill (or a grill pan) well and grill the tentacles for 3–4 minutes on each side, until golden with grill marks.
6. Arrange on a plate, drizzle with a little fresh olive oil and chopped parsley, and serve with lemon wedges. Serve warm.

TIME: Preparation 25 minutes (+ 30 minutes marinating) | Simmering 45 minutes | Grilling 8 minutes | Servings: 4–6

Photo: Gatorfan252525 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)