EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL PEARLS & BLACK POTATOES
Ingredients (serves 4)
Octopus
- 1 medium octopus (about 1.5 kg), cleaned
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
Lanzarote black potatoes
- 400 g Lanzarote black
potatoes (papas negras)
- 100 g coarse sea salt
- Water (just enough to cover)
Pearls & dressing
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil pearls (shop-bought, or homemade with agar-agar)
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp Sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
Sea salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
Finely chopped parsley or chives, to finish
Method
Clean the octopus thoroughly. If it isn’t pre-frozen, freeze for 24 hours to help tenderise, then thaw in the fridge. Bring a large pot of water to the boil with the bay leaf and sea salt. “Shock” the octopus three times by dipping it in and out of the hot water for a few seconds to keep the skin intact. Then submerge fully, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 35–40 minutes, until tender. Leave to cool in its cooking liquid.
To form the carpaccio, cut off the tentacles. Lay them side by side on a sheet of cling film to form a tight log. Wrap in several layers, pressing firmly to compact. Freeze until solid at the edges but not rock-hard, about 3–4 hours. When semi- frozen, slice into very thin rounds (about 2 mm) with a sharp knife or slicer.
Cook the wrinkly potatoes (papas arrugadas). Rinse the potatoes but keep the skins on. Place in a saucepan with the coarse salt and just enough water to cover. Boil for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain, return to the pan and cook dry over a medium heat, shaking the pan until the skins wrinkle and a crust of salt forms.
Arrange the slices on serving plates, overlapping like petals. Dust lightly with sweet paprika. Halve or thickly slice the potatoes and nestle them alongside the octopus. Drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil and a few drops of vinegar. Season with salt flakes and black pepper. Add the olive oil pearls just before serving to maintain their shape, and a final sprinkle of parsley or chives.
