California Grilled Octopus Plate
California Bay Area tradition reading tender octopus tentacles slow-braised then grilled hard for crisp charred edges, plated over warm cannellini bean salad with charred lemon, fresh oregano, and a smoked paprika oil for the West Coast weekend Mediterranean-inflected plate.
American
Categories
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
For 2 servings
Instructions
Prep
Pat octopus tentacles dry. Smash 8 garlic cloves, mince 4 others. Halve 2 lemons and zest 1. Pick and finely chop oregano and parsley. Finely chop red onion and dice tomato. Whisk 4 tbsp olive oil with smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, and 0.5 tsp sea salt for paprika oil.
Simmer
Bring 480ml water to boil in a heavy saucepan over high heat. Add smashed garlic, bay leaves, lemon zest, half the oregano, and 1 tsp sea salt. Lower octopus tentacles in one at a time, dipping each 3 times. Drop heat to low, cover, simmer gently 45 minutes until a knife pierces the thickest part with light resistance.
Build
Toss cannellini beans with red onion, tomato, red wine vinegar, half the parsley, remaining oregano, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp octopus cooking liquid, and 0.5 tsp black pepper until combined.
Rest
Lift octopus to a board and cool 5 minutes. Pat tentacles dry thoroughly.
Grill
Heat a grill pan over high 5 minutes. Brush octopus with 2 tbsp olive oil, lay tentacles undisturbed 3 minutes per side until deep mahogany with crisp char on the suckers. Brush remaining 2 lemon halves with remaining oil, grill 2 minutes cut-side down until blackened.
Plate
Mound bean salad on plates, lay grilled octopus tentacles over the beans (slice into 3cm pieces if very long), drizzle paprika oil generously across, set charred lemon on the rim, scatter remaining parsley, finish with flaky salt.
Recipes use AI and Edamam. Always check for allergens before cooking. Spotted something wrong—email us at hello@grubplanit.com.