MARINATED GRILLED OCTOPUS IN VINEGAR (KTAPODI STIN SKARA)

Prep Time – 4 hrs

Cook Time – 1 hr

ORIGIN | GREECE

COURSE | APPETIZER

SERVINGS | 2-4

Can you hear it? The beautifully calming sounds of the ocean waves crashing by your feet as you look out into the sun-kissed and endlessly blue ocean of the Mediterranean Sea. As you sit with your “parea” or company of family and friends at a tavern table, what could possibly make this moment any better? I would argue that some marinated grilled octopus would make even the Greek Gods “green” with envy.

It is simply hard to imagine a Greek summer meze (appetizer) table without a few slightly charred grilled octopus tentacles. In this recipe, it is simply marinated in red wine vinegar and olive oil and flavored with parsley and oregano, drizzled with a bit of lemon juice, and a little salt and pepper. The red wine vinegar softens its meat, and the olive oil, parsley, and oregano give it the perfect Mediterranean flavor.

Our family recipe only uses Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) from our family olive groves in Kalamata, Greece, fresh Greek oregano, organic parsley, and is always paired with our Kalamata olives, some crusty grilled bread drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with dried Greek oregano. Lest us forget the finishing touch: Ouzo. It is a classic staple in our family that has become a summer tradition of gathering and making some of the most incredible memories together.

DIRECTIONS

Boil the Octopus

  • Add the octopus to a large cooking pot and cover with 8 cups of water.

  • Add the red wine vinegar, dry red wine, and cook over medium flame until the water begins to boil.

  • Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 50 minutes to 1 hour until the octopus is tender. (Or until tender enough to pierce the thickest part of the tentacle easily with a knife).

  • The octopus should be bright pink, tender, but al dente.

Cool the Octopus

  • Remove the octopus from the pot with a slotted spoon and / or cooking thongs. Pat dry with a paper towel and set aside in a food container to cool down to room temperature.

  • For maximum char, you can let the tentacles dry sitting on paper towel in the fridge for a further 2-3 hours. The point is: the drier they are, the more char you will get without overcooking them.

Marinate the Octopus

  • Having placed the octopus in a food container, drizzle with red wine vinegar, a pinch of Greek oregano, salt, pepper, and a ½ cup of Greek extra virgin olive oil, making sure the tentacles are seasoned nicely.

  • Leave to marinate for about 2 hours.

Grill the Octopus*

  • When ready to grill, make sure the octopus is at room temperature.

  • Light the grill to high and brush the grill with a little olive oil.

  • Once your grill is hot (at least 450°F), lay the tentacles directly over the grill to char and crisp on the edges.

  • Leave them for 2-3 minutes, then flip them over and char the other side for a further 2-3 minutes.

Enjoy the Octopus

  • Remove the octopus from the grill and serve the tentacles on a platter, drizzled with extra virgin Greek olive oil, and sprinkled with the fresh Greek oregano, and garnish with the chopped parsley.

  • You can also drizzle a little lemon juice if you’d like and a tiny sprinkle of salt and pepper.

The finishing touches to this meze is definitely Kalamata olives, some crusty grilled bread (you already have a hot grill), drizzled with extra virgin Greek olive oil and fresh Greek oregano and of course — Ouzo!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2-4 pounds fresh octopus tentacles

  • 1 fresh lemon

  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar

  • 1/2 cup dry red wine

  • 2-3 cups of Greek extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

  • 2 heaping tablespoons dried Greek oregano

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

PREP NOTES

* The octopus is already cooked, you are just applying the flavor of the grill, and so the grilling will be very quick.