This is a really simple recipe, and what's great for all the housewives/husbands out there- is that it can't be ruined. It is also really affordable, but on the plate - is a restaurant entree.
OK, go to the local seafood shop and ask for some octopus tentacles, sometimes called 'hands' or a small whole octopus. It doesn't matter if they can only offer you frozen product. you also need to ask for a couple of blue swimmer crabs.
you will also need:
6 roma tomatoes
half a head of garlic
1 large brown onion,
1 leek
tomato paste
good olive oil (for finishing)
some wild sage and rosemary.
TAKE the octopus and wash the tentacles in a brine (taste it, should be a similar saltiness to sea water) remove any hard plasticy feeling parts to the suction caps. pat dry with a clean blue cloth. then rub it down to remove any sinew on its exterior, throw the cloth out. All this doesn't need to take very long.
cut the tentacles into 5cm lengths
brown the onion and garlic in a pot.
add tomatoes and paste and a little water. they (all veg) only needs to be roughly chopped, this is a rustic dish.add herbs.
add the crab which has been chopped in half. this will give an amazing flavour, though it is not used on the dish. don't try to serve it, it will be overcooked in this recipe.
add the octopus.
turn to a simmer.
attend to the leek, this will be used on the plate for presentation, so slice some thinly near the white (make sure it is well cleaned of any dirt), and thicker slices of the first par of the green area.
braise for at least two hours on very low. don't stir, as the puss is becoming tender, and fragile.
when the meat is soft, turn off the heat and let the braise sit untouched for half and hour with a lid on.
to serve, carefully, with a slotted spoon or plastic coasted tongs, remove the octopus and plate up with some leek and a small amount of the juices. maybe use a platter, and serve with some good home made garlic bread (oh, there's an idea for a post).
garnish with some sage and rosemary flowers. sea salt to taste and good amount of cracked pepper. drizzle with some good, green olive oil).
