The grilled octopus is a seafood main course served on a “bed” of hummus, the perfect choice for a light yet tasty lunch or dinner.
The preparation of this recipe is very simple, and the key to obtaining tender and juicy meat is the double cooking of the octopus: first it is briefly boiled and then completed on the grill or barbecue.
I accompanied everything with chickpea hummus with a slightly thicker consistency than usual for a finger-licking result.
The grilled octopus with chickpea hummus is the perfect choice for preparing a different dish that will surprise your guests, and its light cooking makes it perfect for various occasions.
I used fresh octopus, but frozen is also fine; if you want to give this preparation an extra boost, choose the genuine octopus, recognizable by the presence of two rows of suckers on each tentacle. It costs a bit more but has a more exquisite flavor.
Finally, as for the hummus, to achieve a better flavor and consistency, it is ideal to make it with dried chickpeas soaked the day before and then boiled, but if you’re short on time, you can also use pre-cooked chickpeas.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Grilling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 634.75 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 25.81 (g) of which sugars 5.65 (g)
- Proteins 41.09 (g)
- Fat 42.58 (g) of which saturated 6.56 (g)of which unsaturated 9.56 (g)
- Fibers 6.91 (g)
- Sodium 416.21 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 4 lbs octopus
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- garlic (1 clove)
- 1 bunch parsley
- to taste salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 17.5 oz cooked, boiled chickpeas
- 3.5 oz tahini
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon juice
- to taste salt
Tools
- Pot
- Pan
Steps
Clean the octopus while keeping the skin (it will protect it during grilling). Bring a pot of water to a boil with a sprig of rosemary and 2 bay leaves. When it boils, quickly dip the octopus and pull it out three times (the tentacles will curl and be more aesthetically pleasing). Finally, put the octopus to boil, lower the heat, and cook for about 30 minutes. To check if it’s cooked, pierce the octopus with a fork: if it penetrates easily, the octopus is cooked; otherwise, continue cooking for a maximum total of 40 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the octopus cool in its water.
In the meantime, prepare the hummus. Put a tablespoon of oil in a pan and heat it, add the minced garlic and ground cumin, and let it flavor over low heat for 2 minutes. Add the boiled chickpeas, stir, and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer everything to a mixer. Add the tahini and start blending. Add the lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a little water gradually until you get a creamy and not too liquid consistency.
Combine in a bowl: extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, a sprig of rosemary, salt, and a pinch of pepper, and mix. Cut the octopus into pieces and cook it on a hot grill for about 4 minutes per side. Heat the prepared emulsion in a pan, let it flavor for a few minutes, then add the octopus and flavor for another 3 minutes, then turn off the heat. Distribute a base of hummus on individual plates and place the octopus pieces on top, complete with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The grilled octopus with chickpea hummus is ready to be served.
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NOTES
OCTOPUS The octopus must be cooked at a medium-low temperature and not cooked for more than 40 minutes; otherwise, the meat will start to harden. Do not use salt during cooking.
