
Wulf's Kitchen: Seared Octopus with White Bean Puree, Chimichurri, and Smoked Paprika Oil
When this dish comes together, it's restaurant-level stuff. And it's simple to execute, especially since you can make the oil, chimichurri, and white bean puree ahead of time.
RECIPE BY WULF'S FISH TEAM MEMBER DESIREE ANTCZAK. FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM.
Ingredients
For the smoked paprika oil
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
For the chimichurri
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- ¼ cup fresh oregano
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ jalapeno or Crushed Red Pepper to taste
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the white bean puree
- 1 can cooked white beans, drained
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, mashed
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the octopus
- 1 package cooked octopus tentacles
- 3 to 5 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
Instructions
Paprika Oil
Combine the oil and smoked paprika in a bowl and set to sit overnight.
Chimichurri
Blend all of the ingredients except salt and pepper in a food processor until smooth.
Add salt and pepper to taste, then taste again and adjust seasoning.
Set aside.
White Bean Puree
Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.
Add a few tablespoons of water if the puree is too thick to spread.
Warm in a small sauce pot on low heat.
Octopus
Pat the octopus dry with paper towels.
Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot and shimmering, sear the tentacles 2 or 3 at a time depending on the size of the pan. Don’t overcrowd the skillet.
Sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until the tentacles are browned on both sides. Add more oil and adjust heat as needed to sear remaining tentacles.
To Serve
Add a large spoonful of white bean puree to each plate, creating a bed for the octopus to lay on.
Place tentacle on top of puree and top with generous amount of chimichurri. Drizzle with smoked paprika oil.