Octopus with Lemon, Castelvetrano Olives, Harissa and Cilantro Recipe

Octopus with Lemon, Castelvetrano Olives, Harissa and Cilantro

Recipe courtesy of Ayesha Nurdjaja

Watch how to prepare this dish.

• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Servings: 4 to 6
• Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 of 6): Calories 335, Total Fat 27 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Carbohydrates 7 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugar 2 g, Protein 18 g, Cholesterol 54 mg, Sodium 436 mg
• Total Time: 50 min
• Active Time: 1 hr 30 min

Though braised octopus may seem daunting, using a pressure cooker simplifies the process. I start by searing the tender tentacles after pressure cooking and pair them with a bright sauce made from lemon segments, Castelvetrano olives, mustard, and fresh cilantro.

Ingredients

Octopus:

• 1 1/2 pounds octopus tentacles
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 lemon
• 2 scallions, trimmed and halved
• 1 serrano chili, halved
• Cilantro stems from 1/4 bunch (reserve leaves for dressing)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
• Flaky sea salt, to taste

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, halved
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• Leaves from 1/4 bunch cilantro (about 1/4 cup), chopped, reserved from octopus stems
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Harissa Oil:

• 2 tablespoons harissa paste
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 Fresno chili, thinly sliced (optional)

Special equipment: a pressure cooker

Instructions

1. Rinse and pat dry the octopus tentacles. Place them in the pressure cooker and add enough water to fully cover. Stir in kosher salt. Halve the lemon, squeeze the juice into the pot, then add the lemon halves. Add scallions, serrano chili halves, and cilantro stems. Drizzle with olive oil. Seal the pressure cooker and bring to high pressure, cooking for 15 minutes.
2. Release steam to depressurize and check tenderness by piercing the thickest part of the tentacles with a small knife. The knife should glide easily through tender meat. If still tough, return to high pressure and cook 5 more minutes.
3. Depressurize again if needed, then remove tentacles from the liquid and dry with paper towels. Chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Lightly season octopus with salt. If tentacles are too long, cut into large pieces to fit skillet. When oil is hot, sear octopus on all sides until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
5. For the dressing: Zest four lemons and set zest aside in a small bowl. To suprem the lemons, trim the ends so lemon stands upright. Using a sharp knife, cut off peel and pith by following the fruit's curve, then cut between membranes to release segments. Add lemon segments and zest to the bowl.
6. Add olive oil, torn Castelvetrano olives, diced red onion, chopped cilantro leaves, grainy mustard, salt, and pepper to the lemons. Stir gently just before serving and adjust seasoning as needed.
7. For the harissa oil: mix harissa paste, olive oil, honey, and kosher salt in a small bowl and set aside.
8. To serve, drizzle lemon dressing on the plate. Slice tentacles and arrange on the dressing. Drizzle with harissa oil and garnish with cilantro leaves and Fresno chili slices if using.

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