Χταπόδι κρασάτο στην κατσαρόλα (Wine octopus in the pot)

• 20 minutes to prepare • 2 hour to cook  • Serves 4

Χταπόδι κρασάτο

I recently learned to accept the squeamishness of most not-Italians when it comes to food I have no problem eating. But there’s one case I still find baffling: acquaintances who don’t like to eat things with tentacles. That means octopus (or squid).

How could you not love octopus? Nothing compares when it comes to texture and taste. If cooked properly, it’s tender with a tiny bit of chewiness, with the taste of the ocean along with a distinct meaty flavor that pairs so well with red wine or vinegar.

This recipe comes from a Greek friend. It’s similar to the way I ate octopus growing up.
Braised in red wine and balsamic vinegar and whisky for a long time, until it melts in your mouth. The toughest part about this recipe is understanding when the octopus is ready but not overdone, which can be a little tricky, but once you get used to guess that, the rest is a piece of cake.
Try it, even if you are not a fan of tentacles, I bet you’ll change your mind.

Note: I usually buy whole octopus frozen and defrost it in the fridge. It’s preferable to buy frozen octopus. In fact, freezing freshly caught octopus and then defrosting it is a good way to tenderize it. Also, do not add salt to the octopus when cooking it. It is naturally salty. Most of the octopus is indeed salt water that will evaporate in the first part of the recipe. And, you can always add some at the end!

Here's what you will need for the 4-serving recipe:

1 kg octopus, frozen and then kept few hours defrosting
3 red onions
4 laurel leaves
4 all-spices grains

15 ml white wine
15 ml balsamic vinegar
15 ml whisky
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon honey
2 cinnamon sticks

1 big ripe tomato
EVO oil

salt and pepper

1. Start by cooking the onions:heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onions, quartered (not all the way down). Leave them on a low heat for 30 minutes until they are well softened and slightly dissolved
2. Sprinkle with sugar and mix
3. Add the octopus, and let it change color for a few minutes
4. Add the liquids, the tomato - peeled and cubed - and herbs (I used an infuser spoon and placed inside bay leaves, all-spices grains, cinnamon sticks). Let it boil on medium heat, for 90 minutes or until the octopus softens
5. The octopus will release a lot of juices, so when the octopus is well tender, turn up the heat and boil vigorously for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Then, add honey and pepper, and mix well
6. Serve the octopus with the thickened sauce, and some potato puree

Nutrition Facts are listed for this recipe in the table below. Data is provided per serving.