mk Restaurant's Grilled Octopus
Baby octopus grilled over hardwood charcoal, grilled frisee, saffron aioli
Ingredients
Octopus:
- 4 whole baby octopus
- 2 750 ml. bottles red wine
- 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 wine corks
Octopus dressing:
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme
- 1 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Aioli:
- 2 egg yolks
- 14 oz. canola oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon saffron bloomed in warm water
Grilled frisee:
- 2 heads of frisee, cleaned, with dark top removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Cook the octopus:
- In a medium to large saucepot, bring wine, vegetables and herbs to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.
- Add the corks and then the octopus.
- Cook for 45 minutes or until tender.
- Remove from liquid and let cool.
- Once cooled, combine the octopus with the dressing, cover and refrigerate up to two days.
Mix the aioli:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs.
- Slowly whisk in the oil to begin creating the emulsion.
- Whisk in lemon juice and then saffron and a touch of water.
- Continue adding oil until completely emulsified.
To assemble:
- Heat the grill.
- Place marinated octopus on grill and cook on all sides for 4 minutes.
- Grill the frisee for 2minutes, until slightly wilted.
- Place frisee in the middle of a 10-inch plate, and drizzle aioli around the perimeter. Place octopus on top of frisee and serve.