Polvo A Lagareiro - Portuguese Style Octopus

This is a very typical Portuguese dish. Lagareiro means an olive oil artisan - a maker of olive oil. It lends its name to this dish because the octopus is bathed in garlic infused olive oil. This method is also commonly used with Bacalhao - Salted Cod.

Perfectly roasted potatoes which are then given a little punch - Batatas a murro, are the perfect accompaniment for this dish.

Topped with finely chopped coriander and a little hint of chilli, I cannot tell you how delicious this is.

I used a pressure cooker for the octopus but you can cook in a pan until the onion is soft and the octopus tender.  It will just take a little longer.

Once cooked, the octopus is then either roasted or grilled in its olive oil bath.

I par boiled my potatoes until they were nearly cooked through.  Basically you want them at this stage just as you are putting your octopus on to cook.  You will then roast them in the oven for as long as the octopus is cooking.  Once your octopus is ready, your spuds will be perfectly roasted.  

Octopus - Serves 4

Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius

2 kilo baby octopus - cleaned

1 large onion - intact - skin on

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon pink peppercorns

1 teaspoon rock salt

5 cloves garlic

A drizzle of olive oil

Water to cover the octopus

3/4 cup olive oil

6 garlic cloves - finely sliced

1/2 bunch coriander - finely chopped

2 chillis - finely sliced

Salt to season

To the pressure cooker add the baby octopus, onion, peppercorns, rock salt, garlic cloves, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Cover with enough water to just cover the octopus.  The octopus let off more water while cooking. 

Bring to pressure and cook for 20 minutes.

If you are not using a pressure cooker, continue to cook until the onion is soft.  That is when you know the octopus is done.

A whole onion is used as the skin helps tenderise the octopus.  The other reason is that you do not want bits of onion through the octopus, you are only using it for flavour.

About 5 minutes before the octopus is cooked, to a shallow baking tray add the 3/4 cup olive oil, the chilli and the sliced garlic.  Place the dish in the oven so that you can flavour the oil. Keep an eye on it you don't want to burn the garlic.

Once the octopus is cooked, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and place into the flavoured oil.

Bake in the oven for approximately 10-15 minutes.  

Remove from the oven and top with the coriander.  Give it a good mix so that it is all coated.

Potatoes

1kg small chat potatoes

Salt to season

Olive oil

Place the washed potatoes into a saucepan and fill with water.  Cook until just cooked.

Drain the water and place the potatoes on a cooking tray.

Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil.

Cook for 20 minutes at 200 degrees celsius until golden.

Remove and with your palm give them a little squash - a punch - um murro.  

Serve with the Octopus - delicious.

Enjoy.