Octopus with Forbidden Rice | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae
It's not often we come into some octopus, so when the fishmonger at our Farmer's Market had some, we jumped on it. Giving it the sous vide treatment yields tender, luscious octopus, and finishing with a quick char on a ripping hot grill adds layers of flavor. Octopus is a delicacy - treat it right, and you'll be rewarded with a handsome, delicious plate.
- Yield: Serves 2.
- Time: 7 hours, including 1 hour attended.
- Storage Notes: Best if enjoyed immediately.
- Difficulty: Medium.
Ingredients:
Sauce- 1 1/2 Cups spinach
- 3 Tbs Extra virgin olive oil
- 8 Cloves garlic
- 2 Lemons
- 1 Tbs California Sea Salt
- 1 Tbs Taste of Bordeaux
- 1 Tbs Ultra-Tex 3
- 1 Cup forbidden (black) rice
- 1 3/4ths Cups fish stock
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 Pat butter
- 1 Small (roughly 1-1.5LB) octopus
- 4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbs California Sea Salt
- 2 Tbs Sweet Heat BBQ Rub
- 1 Small handful sprouts
- 5-6 Cherry tomatoes
- 5-6 Edible flowers
- 2 Lemon slices
- Prepare a sous vide bath at 170F, bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil, and prepare an ice bath.
- In a colander, thoroughly rinse octopus, removing head and body.
- Remove tentacles at the joint in twos, then remove the connective membrane connecting the pairs, likewise trimming any excess membrane, and rinse again.
- Blanch octopus for 5 minutes, then remove to ice bath to stop further cooking.
- Vacuum seal tentacles with olive oil and California Sea Salt, and pop in the bath, setting a timer for 6 hours.
- Rinse and spin dry spinach, and rough chop garlic.
- Bring a wok up to medium high, and add in garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes until they just begin to brown, then add spinach (including stems), and California Sea Salt. Sauté, stirring regularly, for about 3 minutes, until all spinach is wilted.
- Add everything to a blender, along with Taste of Bordeaux seasoning, Ultra-Tex 3, and the juice of two lemons. Blend on high, until a completely smooth sauce forms. Taste for seasoning, adding salt or lemon juice as needed, then pour off into a mason jar and reserve in the fridge.
- 1 hour before service, quickly sauté cherry tomatoes, and prep a small dish with sprouts and edible flowers.
- In a rice cooker, combine rinsed forbidden rice, garlic, and fish stock, and set to cook.
- Get your grill/BBQ going as hot as you can get it.
- Take the bag from the sous vide, and remove octopus. Allow to drain on a wire rack - too much oil will just cause flare ups on the grill.
- Slice a lemon into a couple of thin slices, and sear briefly on the grill.
- Sear octopus on the BBQ, liberally sprinkling on Sweet Heat BBQ seasoning as you do, for about 1-2 minutes for each side.
- Microwave sauce for 40 seconds to bring up to temp.
- Mount 1/3 stick of unsalted butter in rice, stirring well to combine.
- Plate sauce, then rice, then octopus, then garnish.
- Serve with a big 'ol glass of ice cold sauvignon blanc, and devour.