smoked octopus Somebody had to do it might as well be me

[moikel]

Im going to have a shot at this as a Catalan/Galacian inspired braise with chorizo. Poach some biggish O's in red wine a bits then smoke over some apple in the MES.Then back to the pot with smoked tomato's ,chorizo onion,bell pepper,bay leaf poaching liquid,garlic,gbp,black olives & anything else that gets within range.

Will kick it off in a couple days. No O'pus at my local, will have to go to big market on friday.

Ive seen people on this site eat snapping turtle so just think of Octopus as a sea chicken with 8 drumsticks.

 

[moikel]

and bits

 

[africanmeat]

i will look for it

 

[SmokinAl]

Sounds interesting. Looking forward to seeing how you prepare it.

 

[larrym]

love 8 legged chickens :)  I cant get any big enough here locally to try but would love to see how it works out.

 

[ptcruiserguy]

Lookin' forward to this one Moikel.

Now where in Tennessee would you find an Octopus?????

Happy Smokin'

Mike

 

[moikel]

Australians didnt eat it it until European migrants showed us what we were missing out on.It was bait in this country for years. Now its very popular up to a point.Theres plenty of Italian,Greek,Portuguese ,Croatian & Italian recipes for it.Japanese use it for sashimi.

I just figure I need to adapt it to the smoking template,I could just grill it seaside style but thats a bit of a cop out.Same as poaching it in the way the Galacians in Spain call "fairgrounds style" dressed with hot flavoured olive oil,chopped up with scissors lovely but not much of a challenge.

So Im going to smoke it then braise it somehow. Stay tuned.I need to go to the fish market to get a selection of O'PUS  comes in about 3 sizes.Big guys for this but not the giant stuff.You have to buy whole O'pus  & they can go 4kg.If I  can remember I  will take camera to market I will look like an Asian tourist,sort of,but it will help with thread. The Asians come straight from the airport order a massive fresh cooked seafood platter that you couldnt jump over then take photos to send home. If their flight is 7am then its breakfast.Ive never seen such physically small people put away so much anything.Suppose its so cheap compared to home.Good for them.

 

[Bearcarver]

This is gonna be another Super Moikel Smoke!!!

Can't wait to see those pictures!!!!!!

I'm camping out right here, so I get a good seat !!!

Bear

 

[jc1947]

This is gonna be another Super Moikel Smoke!!!

Can't wait to see those pictures!!!!!!

I'm camping out right here, so I get a good seat !!!

Bear

X2

JC1947
 

 

[alelover]

This should prove quite interesting I'm sure.

 

[moikel]

The octopus has landed! $12 kg so $6 a pound to you guys.These are mediums,local.Big guys were 5 pound & up but cleaned so value at $19 a kg but just that bit harder to work with. Im getting my head around exactly how to pull this off.Ill clean them now they have already been in the cement mixer with a few shovels of stones to tenderize a bit.

 

[moikel]

Sorry to quick on the draw,cleaned in 5 min,only about 20% waste.

 

[SmokinAl]

It's getting better all the time!

Keep it coming Moikel!

 

[moikel]

If its alright with you guys Im going to split this into 2 seperate dish's . Smoked then as a braise & a separate dish which is a terrine. You poach the O'pus with bits & pieces then set it as a terrine using its natural gelatin ,mix with roasted pistachios layer with sliced fennel set it in fridge,then slice it & dress it serve it as a cold starter with a glass of Aussie white wine.Its originally from Puglia.I  learnt it at a cookery school at fish marketing authourity.

Smoked Im learning on the job,but I will blanch it first so it throws a bit of salt,then poach it in red wine & bits.Then dry it put it in fridge then smoke it for an hour then finish it in sauce ,smoked tomato,onion,garlic,black olives & ...

See you tomorrow.

 

[Bearcarver]

Looks kinda Spooky from here, Moikel !!----Tasty, yet Spooky!!!

If that's a Medium, then this must be trick photography---LOL.

Note----This guy uses an Ax to clean his:

Bear

 

[moikel]

Man think of how many people that one would feed!

 

[Bearcarver]

Man think of how many people that one would feed!

LOL---Or how many people that one would feed on.

Where's Kirk Douglas when you need him???

Bear

 

[larrym]

Grrrr,, yumm n drooling is all I can say :)  Cant wait for rest of the pics.

 

[chef willie]

hmmmmm, way to go. Most interesting post I've seen....waiting with interest to see the finished dishes.

 

[moikel]

OK  here goes terrine first,its not smoked but I  bought too much O'pus & I  promised Rivet the recipe. Hpoe thats ok. In a casserole dish put 1.5 kg cleaned O .I used mediums about 700gm each uncleaned. When I clean them I  cut them off below eyes turn out beak,then cut down back of head turn out insides pull skin off hood/head cut off eyes .You could just use the legs but Im a want not waste not guy.Old habit aint going to change.

Add 1 cup white wine,1 cup red wine vinegar,3 cloves of garlic 3 bay leaves black peppercorns zest of a lemon,save juice for stage 2.Add the outer bits of a fennel bulb ,some fresh chives fresh dill about 1/2 store bought bunch 1 orange cut in half 1 stalk of celery NO SALT. I blanch all my bigger Os in boiling water so they shed a bit of salt.Thats just how I was taught.

Cook this mix over low heat 45-60 or until its very tender.