Flavorful Spanish-Style Octopus “Pulpo” from the Southern Sea
[Make Spanish Octopus Dish Pulpo! The Meeting of Southern Natural Stone Octopus and Spain – PULPO (feat. Arugula & Basil)]
To celebrate my husband’s birthday, I woke up early and decided to showcase my cooking skills! I brought this natural stone octopus from the Southern Sea on a trip to Spain and decided to recreate the Spanish dish, Pulpo. In Spanish, octopus is called ‘PULPO’. It’s an octopus dish stir-fried with potatoes, various vegetables, and seasoned with spices. I’ve recreated this recipe in my own way.
Main Ingredients
- 1-2 Stone Octopus (from Southern Sea, fresh or thawed)
- 1-2 Potatoes
- 1/2 Carrot
- Arugula, a suitable amount
- 5-6 cloves Garlic
- 5-10 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2/3 packet Fajita Seasoning (adjust to taste)
- 1 portion Lemon Juice
Garnishes
- Fresh Arugula
- Fresh Basil leaves
- Fresh Dill (optional)
- Fresh Arugula
- Fresh Basil leaves
- Fresh Dill (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
This is the stone octopus I received. The suckers were thick and the tentacles were plump. I immediately prepared the octopus upon arrival, and stored the unused portion frozen.
Step 2
Using large kitchen scissors, I removed the beak, cut around the eyes of the Southern Sea stone octopus, and cleaned out the insides. Then, I rubbed it thoroughly with flour and coarse salt, rinsing it several times.
Step 3
And here are the vegetables I prepared. My husband doesn’t like broccoli, but I prepared it for color. I cut the carrots and potatoes into bite-sized pieces and prepared the whole garlic cloves by trimming the ends.
Step 4
I prepared Extra Virgin Olive Oil, lemon juice, and Fajita seasoning. If you don’t have Fajita seasoning, you can flavor it with spices like salt, pepper, chili powder, or paprika.
Step 5
From left to right: Dill, wild arugula, and basil. I used to see these often in large supermarkets, but they disappeared, so I bought a large quantity online. These are herbs that are great to have on hand. They are optional, but they add a wonderfully exotic aroma.
Step 6
Peel the skin of the Southern Sea stone octopus. This makes it less chewy when cooked. Cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces.
Step 7
Place the prepared vegetables and stone octopus on an oven pan.
Step 8
Add the Fajita seasoning. I added about 2/3 of the packet, as you can always add more later if it’s not salty enough.
Step 9
Drizzle generously with olive oil, about 5-10 tablespoons according to your preference. Toss everything together to ensure the seasoning and oil coat the ingredients evenly.
Step 10
Drizzle with lemon juice. It would be even tastier with fresh lemon!
Step 11
The star ingredients: arugula, basil, and dill. Finely chop the dill and toss the arugula and basil in whole. Note that arugula can burn in the oven, but I added it to infuse its aroma. This step is optional but highly recommended for an exotic touch.
Step 12
Now, into the oven they go!
Step 13
I baked it at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes, including preheating. I kept it warm using residual heat and took it out to serve.
Step 14
The arugula turned black and charred, but it infused its aroma. Remove the blackened arugula and transfer the cooked dish to a beautiful serving plate.
Step 15
Garnish with fresh basil and arugula, and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. If you want more zest, feel free to add more lemon juice. Enjoy this delicious Pulpo!
