The Secret to Easy, Tender Octopus (Gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free)

I LOVE fresh, tender octopus! For years, I lived in an area with lots of authentic Greek restaurants that are experts at preparing it, so I never bothered to give it a try at home. Then, we moved. After a few months, my octopus craving was back. So, during my latest trip to the fishmonger, I picked up a beautiful, fresh whole octopus in the hopes of not screwing it up. lol

Turns out, making tender octopus is easier than easy if you know a couple of simple tips.

My octopus was already cleaned so prep was super easy. Just a quick rinse under cool water and then I removed the hard beak. This is done by simply pressing down on the head to push the beak out between the tentacles. Use your fingers to pull out the beak and discard. The beak is two pieces, but may come out as one.

The next step is to tenderize the octopus. Technically, you could simmer it in plain water. However, I like to add a bit of red wine, lemon, garlic cloves, and whatever veggies scraps I have on hand.

TIP: To get those perfectly curly tentacles, bring your water to a boil and then gently dip the octopus legs briefly into the water three times.

Then, reduce the water to low, add the entire octopus to the pot, and let it simmer gently for about an hour until it is fork tender. (This time may be as little as 30 minutes if your octopus is small or up to 2 hours for larger ones.)

TIP: Do not boil the octopus! If you have ever had tough, chewy tentacles, it was most likely boiled and overcooked. Keep the water to a gentle simmer and you'll be golden.

When the octopus has finished simmering, remove it from the water and set it aside to cool before slicing it.

Cutting up the octopus is really quick and simple. First, locate the eyes on the head. Cut off the head below the eyes, gently cut out the eyes, and then cut the rest of the head into large strips. You might also want to remove the skin from the head (it pulls away easily with your fingers) for a more tender bite. Next, cut the tentacles apart.

From here, it's up to you!

You can season the octopus with a bit of oil and salt and then char them on a grill or cast iron pan.

Or, dice them up for Ensalada de Pulpo (ie: Octopus Salad).

Wrap them in tortillas for tacos.

Place them on pizza.

You name it!

What to Serve with Octopus:

• Traditional Mediterranean dishes simply serve with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and pita (Try my 4-Ingredient GLUTEN-FREE Pita Bread Recipe!).

• Latin American preparation usually includes creamy, rich mashed potatoes.

• I love keeping my dishes low-carb by serving the octopus over Garlic Mashed Cauliflower.