MARINATED OCTOPUS

MARINATED OCTOPUS

This recipe uses one whole Apollo Bay octopus (approximately 2.5-3kg) – buying fresh be sure to check with your fishmonger that your octopus has been tumbled.

COOKING STOCK

1 x 2.5-3kg octopus (tumbled) 1 x brown onion, diced. 2 x carrot peeled and diced 2 x bay leaf 10g x whole black peppercorns 3 x whole allspice 6 x garlic cloves, rough chopped 100ml x olive oil 1 x fresh thyme sprig 1 x Greek oregano sprig (fresh or dry) 300ml x red wine Lemon zest Salt to taste

MARINADE

300ml x olive oil 100ml x red wine vinegar 4 x cloves fresh crushed garlic 1 x bunch dill, finely chopped 1 x Greek oregano, finely chopped Zest of one lemon Juice of one lemon Salt Pepper

METHOD

1. Cut the octopus into separate tentacles 2. Use a large stainless pot and heat olive oil until very hot then add the octopus tentacles one at a time allowing to brown on all sides. 3. Add carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, oregano and allspice to pot and allow to sweat for 5 minutes. 4. Add red wine and lemon zest and salt, bring to a simmer then put lid on pot and simmer gently for 50minutes or until octopus is tender. 5. Once tender but still firm turn pot off and allow to cool down slowly in cooking liquid, (preferably overnight). 6. While octopus is cooling make the marinade (see ingredients). 7. When octopus is cooled remove from cooking liquor. Remove any excess skin membrane and discard, at this point you can slice the tentacles into desired size or keep whole if you want to grill your octopus later. 8. Mix octopus with marinade, season to taste, then refrigerate until needed, can be stored in an airtight jar covered with the marinade for up to 2 weeks, but honestly its best when eaten same day at room temp or thrown over the grill for a couple of minutes with the marinade drizzled over the top and a squeeze of lemon.

Local suppliers: Matt Phillips (fisherman), Tim Harrington(@southernoceanfishing), Mt Zero (Olive Oil), Neighbour’s tree (lemons), Judy Forrester (Otway Herbs).

Otway Herbs

APOLLO BAY

Otway Herbs is located on Wild Dog Road and sits in the hills high above Apollo Bay and the coastline amongst the Otway Ranges. This pretty garden wonderland is a hidden gem and just a short drive out of town. Judy Forrester is a passionate gardener and you can find her selling seedlings and fresh herbs most Saturdays at the Apollo Bay Foreshore Market. We grow a wide variety of tasty culinary herbs from Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean as well as medicinal herbs, insect repellents and fragrant plants. We also create our own massage oils, balms and other herbal products. For something different in the ornamental garden we have rare and unusual plants collected from around the world. We also have a notable collection of salvias and specialise in plants ideal for coastal gardens. All our plants are grown using ecologically friendly biodynamic principles, with compost based potting mixes and no artificial fertilisers or chemicals.