Braised And Charred Octopus Taco Food

SURF AND TURF STEAK TACOS WITH TOMATILLO-AVOCADO SALSA

Steps:

• For the steak: Marinate the flank steak in the tiger sauce, lime juice, orange juice and garlic. Grill for 5 minutes per side. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain into thin slices.
• For the halibut: Combine the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, jalapeno and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the halibut, turning to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator. Grill for 3 to 6 minutes per side, depending on thickness -- the halibut will flake when done. Cut into small pieces.
• For the tomatillo-avocado salsa: In a blender, combine the tomatillos, jalapenos, avocado, onion, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, agave and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
• For the jalapeno-lime slaw: Add the cabbage, cilantro and jalapenos to a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, olive oil, lime juice, garlic powder and some salt and pepper. Toss the cabbage with dressing to taste.
• To serve: Begin plating with a corn tortilla. Add a little less than 1/4 cup of slaw, top with a few pieces of halibut, a tablespoon or so of the salsa and a few slices of steak. Finish with crumbled feta, sliced radishes, if using, and a lime wedge.

CHARRED OCTOPUS TACO WITH HARISSA, CHORIZO CRUSHED POTATOES, AND PICKLED RAMPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°F. Place the octopus, garlic, and thyme in a 5-quart pot or Dutch oven. Pour olive oil over (octopus should be submerged) and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover the pot with foil, place in oven, and cook until tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Check the octopus periodically for tenderness by inserting a paring knife into the thickest part of an arm. When fully cooked, the knife should easily pierce the flesh. Remove from oven and let sit covered until the octopus comes to room temperature. Discard thyme and garlic. Remove and discard head, separate arms, and gently remove the purple skin.
• Toast the chiles in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Let cool and remove the stems and seeds. Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small pot. Add chiles and simmer until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Purée chiles and water in a blender until smooth, scrape out and reserve.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sweat the onions until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the onions, ground spices, lemon juice, and salt to the blender with 3 tablespoons of the pepper purée. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Strain, taste, and adjust seasoning. Harissa can be made 1 day in advance.
• Bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, and 1 cup water to a boil and stir until dissolved. Place the ramps in a heatproof glass container and pour vinegar mixture over. Let sit until ramps come to room temperature, then refrigerate 1 hour. Ramps can be pickled 1 day in advance.
• Start the potatoes in a medium pot with cold salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain, crush with a fork, and reserve.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the chorizo, breaking into bits, until browned and cooked through. Strain and reserve oil.
• Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Rub the octopus with a little olive oil and grill until lightly charred, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Slice octopus into bite-size pieces. Meanwhile, heat the reserved chorizo oil and potatoes in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked chorizo and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Warm the tortillas. Divide the crushed potatoes between the tortillas, top with octopus, a spoonful of harissa, and 2 or 3 pickled ramps.

GRILLED OCTOPUS

Steps:

• Fill a large pot 1/2 full with water. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt, peppercorns, and the wine cork; bring to a boil over high heat.
• Meanwhile, place octopus on a cutting board. Using a wooden spoon or meat mallet, pound the octopus multiple times, starting in the middle and moving down each tentacle to tenderize the meat.
• Dip tentacles into the boiling water 3 times, holding them in the boiling water 2 to 3 seconds each time, until the tentacles curl up. Submerge entire octopus in the boiling water. Bring water back to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until octopus is fork-tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Grill octopus until charred on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Remove from heat, slice into pieces, and place on a serving platter. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, squeeze lemon over top, sprinkle with parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

PULPO ENCEBOLLADO TACOS

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water; add the octopuses, white onion halves and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until the octopuses are very tender, about 2 hours. Drain, discarding the onion and bay leaf. Let the octopuses cool; cut into small pieces.
• Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and chiles and cook, stirring, until tender, 3 more minutes. Add the octopuses and saute until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in tortillas; top with cilantro and diced white onion. Serve with lime wedges.

OCTOPUS VERACRUZA

Steps:

• In small saucepan combine fish stock and raisins. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the raisins are plump and light gold in color, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over high heat. Saute the onion 3 to 5 minutes until translucent and limp. Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes with 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. In same skillet saute peppers in four batches, adding 2 tablespoons of oil for each batch. The peppers should remain crisp and colorful, like a stir-fry. Transfer each finished batch to a platter to cool. Then transfer to the bowl with raisins and stock. Add the tomato mixture (cooked vegetables can be refrigerated overnight if desired.) In same skillet, heat the remain 2 tablespoons oil over high heat until almost smoking. Sprinkle the cleaned octopus with salt and pepper. Saute octopus, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked vegetable mixture, oregano, lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Stir and toss well to heat through and to combine the flavors.

CHARRED OCTOPUS SALAD WITH TANGERINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the red wine, garlic, black peppercorns and 2 quarts of water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Dip the octopus in the boiling liquid for 10 seconds and lift it back out. Repeat the process 3 times. Finally, submerge the octopus in the liquid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and allow the octopus to poach in the liquid until tender, about 90 minutes.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve the fat in the pan.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Preheat a grill to high heat. Warm up half of the Tangerine Sauce in a saute pan on medium heat.
• Remove the octopus from the poaching liquid and allow to cool before handling, about 10 minutes. Remove the head and discard. Cut off the tentacles from the body and reserve the body for another use. Dip the tentacles into the reserved bacon fat, and place on the hot grill to char very briefly. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the tentacles to a large ovenproof saute pan, toss with the heated Tangerine Sauce and place in the oven for 5 minutes.
• To serve, drizzle some of the remaining Tangerine Sauce on each plate. Sprinkle some of the crushed peppercorns and oregano leaves around each plate. Place a tentacle on each plate and sprinkle with some of the bacon. Garnish with the Bull¿s Blood microgreens and micro arugula. Finish with a drizzle of oil and some freshly ground black pepper.
• Reduce the juice and honey in a saute pan over medium heat until syrupy. Allow to cool slightly. Combine in a food processor with the red wine vinegar, mustard, anchovies and chile and process until smooth. While processing, drizzle in enough canola oil to create an emulsified sauce. Season with salt and pepper.