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Patria’s Pulpo Escabeche
“Pulpo, or octopus, is one of my favorite ingredients,” says Andrew DiCataldo, executive chef of Patria in Rahway. “It can be prepared in many different ways. At Patria, you’ll often find it in soups or ceviches, as well as the way it appears here, en escabeche, which refers to the vinegar-spiked peppers, onions and capers used as a method of preserving or pickling.”
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“Be sure to use the pulpo from Spain or Portugal, I find it cooks up more plump and meaty than the Indonesian type. Also, throw a couple of corks in the poaching liquid, it is believed to help tenderize the octopus. Although I do not know this to be fact it can’t hurt.”
Serves: 4 to 6
For the Pulpo:
1- 3 to 4 lb. octopus thawed, if frozen
1 onion quartered
2 celery stalks cut into 3 pieces
4 bay leaves
10 whole black peppercorns
2 cups good full bodied red wine such as a Rioja or Burgundy
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. whole butter
For the Escabeche:
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin matchstick slices
1 small green bell pepper, cut into thin matchstick slices
1 small Spanish onion thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
½ tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. capers
1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 tsp. parsley finely chopped
For the Potatoes:
2 large Idaho potatoes
½ cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. aji amarillo (Peruvian yellow chile pepper)purée (optional)
½ tsp. turmeric preferably Peruvian
Salt to taste
For the Black Olive Aioli:
1/3-cup good quality black olives (preferably Peruvian Botija olives), pitted
Plus 2 Tbsp. of the olive juice
1 egg yolk
1 clove peeled garlic
2/3-cup olive oil
Pinch of salt
Method:
Place the octopus into a large pot and cover with water and add the onion, celery, bay leaves, and peppercorns and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer gently for about an hour and thirty minutes or until octopus gives only a slight resistance when pierced with a skewer. Carefully remove octopus from liquid onto a large dish to cool. When the octopus has cooled using a knife or kitchen shears disconnect the tentacles from around the center and discard the beak-like cartilage. Set tentacles aside.
To prepare the escabeche, heat the oil in a skillet and add the peppers and onion, sauté for a few minutes before adding the garlic. Cook stirring for two more minutes and then add the paprika, capers, vinegar and parsley. Transfer escabeche to a bowl and reserve.
Peel the potatoes and cut them in half and boil them in lightly salted water until they become tender when pieced with a knife. Drain and pass through a ricer. Heat the cream with butter, aji amarillo (if using), and turmeric. Pour over mashed potatoes and mix until just combined, being careful not to over mix or they may become gluey. Season with salt and keep warm.
To make the aioli, place all the ingredients except the oil into a blender and purée. With the blender running, slowly drizzle all the oil in until a rich emulsified sauce is obtained.
To serve:
Place the 2 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, butter and reserved octopus tentacles into a skillet and swirl around to heat through. On the bottom of each plate smear a tablespoon of the black olive aioli and onto that place a spoonful of the mashed potatoes, then top with an octopus tentacle and top that with some escabeche.
Buen Provecho!
