Prep Time

    •    Prep and cook time: about 30 minutes
    •    Yield: Serves 3-6 as a shared dish

Ingredients

    •    4 kiwi fruit
    •    1 little milk
    •    2 egg yolks
    •    3 cloves garlic
    •    Squeeze of lemon
    •    50 mls lemon juice
    •    1 tsp Dijon mustard
    •    A few strands saffron
    •    Zest of ½ lemon
    •    Juice of ½ lemon
    •    1 large very ripe capsicum
    •    2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
    •    200 mls extra virgin olive oil
    •    Rouille (serve with Octopus)
    •    1 tbsp boiling water if required
    •    1 tbsp lemon thyme - chopped
    •    2 cloves garlic - roughly chopped
    •    frac14; tsp sweet smoked paprika
    •    2 slices white bread crusts removed
    •    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    •    1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed and chopped
    •    1 & frac12; bunches flat leaf parsley - roughly chopped
    •    800g octopus tentacles (make sure they have been tenderised)

Method

1. To make the herb paste, add all of the ingredients (except the octopus!) and holding back a little of the lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Process until completely emulsified and paste like. Taste and add the rest of the lemon juice, and pepper to taste.
   
   
2. Remove the black skin from the tentacles and discard. Soak for two hours in cut, squished kiwi fruit. This tenderises it further.
   
   
3. Slice the ends of the tentacles off, cut into pieces to fit your griddle pan, dry carefully then pour the herb paste over the octopus and make sure to mix it through thoroughly. Heat a griddle pan until smoking and cook the larger part of the octopus briefly on all sides until charred, then cook the rest of the thinner tentacles, being careful not to crowd the pan. Squeeze lemon juice over the tentacles while they are still cooking...about 5 to 8 minutes for the large tentacles. Rest for 10 minutes.
   
   
4. Slice and serve on a plate with rouille, rocket, and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and lastly a splash of olive oil.
   
   
5. Rouille (serve with Octopus)
   
   
6. Roast capsicum until it collapses and seems to be burnt.
   
   
7. Take capsicum from the oven, let it rest before putting it in a plastic bag to sweat. When it is cool enough to handle, peel the skin and remove all trace of black.
   
   
8. Soak the bread in a little milk with the saffron threads for 10 minutes and squeeze it thoroughly.
   
   
9. If using a food processor, place the capsicum, paprika, garlic, bread, lemon juice and egg yolks in the bowl and puree well. Season. Pour in the evoo in a slow stream as you would for mayonnaise till well thickened. Only use the boiling water if required to thin.

This great family recipe is thanks to ABC Recipes at https://www.abc.net.au/radio/recipes/grilled-octopus-in-herb-paste/8920614