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Octopus is a delicacy in many countries around the world. It is a cephalopod mollusk, with an oval body, similar to a pink sac. You can eat all the parts of the octopus, but the most delicious are the tentacles.
The mollusk has only 8 of them, in length, they can reach 5 meters. Many people worry that the meat in the clam’s tentacles can be dangerous. Is this so and how to cook it correctly?
Who started cooking first?
The inhabitants of coastal cities were the first to discover the nutritional properties of octopuses. Greeks and Romans were the first. They have always paid special attention to fishing, constantly discovering new types of fish.
The Greeks were famous for their signature octopus dish – stuffed tentacles.
Now it is widespread in Hawaii, Japan, China, and some regions of Africa. In other countries, octopuses remain a rare delicacy that not everyone can afford.
In the Mediterranean countries, octopuses have been holding the palm tree in cooking for many years. Snacks and uncomplicated seafood dishes are the favorite food of the locals and a mandatory element of folk culinary culture.
In Spain, baking octopus tentacles with dough is especially popular. The locals of Barcelona cannot imagine their life without a treat. In each store, you can find sets of stuffed seafood that have been high heat-treated and are ready for use.
They are heated and serve as the main course. In Japan, octopus is preferred to be fried in oil, in Polynesia – dried, and then boiled in coconut milk or baked in an earthen oven.
Octopus species
Experts identify more than 200 species of octopus. The problem is that you can’t eat every kind of food. Some octopuses are poisonous. Professional divers easily distinguish dangerous mollusks – they have blue rings on their tentacles.
Among commercial octopuses, experts distinguish the following species:
- giant (distinctive color – red, length of body with tentacles – 3 meters; habitat – South Korea, North Korea, Northern Japan)
- ordinary (distinctive color – gray; habitat – Africa)
- deep water (distinctive color – pink, medium size – up to 1.5 meters; habitat – the Arctic, Antarctic)
- cinacalcet (characterized by the presence of bright rings on the trunk; environment – from Japan to Australia)
Among octopuses, the most poisonous species are the cinacalcet ones. Other types are acceptable for consumption.
Chemical composition
Many consider octopuses a delicacy not only because of their price and unusual taste but also because of their rich vitamin-mineral composition.
Octopus meat is absorbed by the human body better than pork or beef. However, experts note the similarity of the product with meat dishes. The main similarity is high protein content and low carbohydrate content.
Various nutrients contained in octopus – copper, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, sodium, and selenium – help to realize health benefits. Among the most common vitamins, experts distinguish vitamins of group B, C, K, E, A, PP.
The composition contains saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, interchangeable amino acids. They are involved in metabolism. The benefits will be even with the periodic inclusion of shellfish in the diet.
Health benefits
Octopuses have a rich vitamin and mineral composition and will be valuable for your health. Experts identify some beneficial properties for health:
- normalization of the cardiovascular system
- improvement of the functionality of the gastrointestinal tract
- positive effect on the organs of vision
- improvement of the brain
- improvement of the condition of hair, nails, and skin
- slowing down the aging process
- weight loss due to the removal of fat and water
- prevention of atherosclerosis
- normalization of blood pressure
- improvement of memory
- protection from depression and nervous overstrain
- prevention of oncological pathologies
- stimulation of brain activity
Octopus is a marine product that is especially rich in phosphorus. It increases mental activity and affects the absorption of calcium in the body.
However, even such a useful product you should consume in moderate quantities.
Possible contraindications
Like any product, the octopus can bring not only benefits to the body, but also harm. The main contraindication is the individual intolerance of the product.
It can be expressed in rashes, burning, redness of the skin, and nausea. You may also notice a general deterioration in the condition of the body.
You may also have a risk of contracting parasites. To prevent this from happening, carefully choose the manufacturer and inspect the meat before buying.
Another significant threat is mercury compounds. Mercury in large quantities can even cause death. Protect yourself by carefully checking suppliers.
How to choose an octopus?
To choose the right way to cook octopus – learn how to choose the right shellfish. Experts advise doing this by following the instructions:
- the skin should be clean
- the correct color of fresh octopus is burgundy
- the inside of the tentacles should be lighter than the outside the
- octopus should not have a strong fishy smell
- the eyes should be transparent
- choose smaller octopuses, their meat is softer
Can you grill octopus without boiling
Experts recommend cooking octopus by grilling. Many may consider this dish atypical because everyone is used to seeing squid in dried form as a snack for beer. However, if you want to cook an exotic seafood product at home, a grill is the best solution.
A significant stage is preparing the octopus for grilling. Why is this so necessary? Octopus meat is harder than the meat of other shellfish and fish. You have to make it softer and more tender. To do this, follow these steps:
- rinse the thawed octopus under a stream of cold water
- remove the skin from the octopus
- butcher the clam, first of all, cutting off its tentacles
- remove the insides from the head and beak
Thanks to these actions, you do not have to cook the octopus before grilling. Also, pay special attention to defrosting the octopus – let it do it naturally. You don’t need to resort to using hot water or a microwave.
How do you tenderize octopus legs?
The toughest part of the octopus is the tentacles. You can make them softer and more tender. Follow the cooking instructions:
- Clean the octopus tentacles and rinse them thoroughly under cold water.
- Remove the mantle from the octopus, you can inflate the clam a little. Cut the mantle just below and above the eyes, and then pull out the insides and the ink bag through the holes. Remove the octopus’s mouth as well.
- Remove the skin so that the tentacles are not stringy and stiff.
- Boil the tentacles before the cooking process. It will help remove harmful toxins from the product.
The process of cooking tentacles should also be special:
- Add sea salt to the pan.
- When the water boils, immerse the octopus tentacles three times in the water for a few seconds.
- Place the tentacles in the water and let them cook for a while.
After boiling, the tentacles will become soft and tender for further preparation.
Can you overcook octopus?
Many people believe that you need to choose octopuses large in size so that there is no way to overcook them. However, this is a misconception.
Professional chefs believe that the size of the octopus does not affect the duration of cooking. Choose any fresh clam – you won’t be able to overcook it!
How to cook baby octopus
Is it hard to cook baby octopus and are there any differences from the main cooking process? Professionals believe that the best way to cook a baby is to put it out in liquid.
First, cook the octopus a little in a saucepan so that it becomes softer. Next, heat the frying pan, put the octopus cubs there, and pour water. Simmer for about 60 minutes. Determine the degree of readiness by the level of boiled water.
How to grill octopus
To cook an octopus on the grill, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- olive oil – 8 tbsp
- juice of half a lime
- garlic – 2-3 cloves
- salt – 1 tsp
- mustard – 1-2 tsp
- soy sauce – 1 tsp
- wine vinegar (or white wine) – 1 tsp
- parsley – 2-3 sprigs
step-by-step cooking instructions:
- Defrost the octopus, rinse it under a cold stream of water.
- Remove the inside of the clam, rinse under cold water again. Remove the skin and cut the octopus into pieces.
- Prepare the marinade: mix lemon juice, olive oil, crushed garlic, and salt. Rub the mixture over the clam pieces and leave for 40 minutes.
- Remove the octopus from the marinade and place it in the pan. Fry for 3 minutes on each side. The degree of readiness of the octopus is the acquisition of white color.
- Prepare the dressing: finely chop the parsley and add soy sauce and wine vinegar to it.
- Place the pieces of octopus on the grill, add cherry tomatoes and dressing.
How to cook octopus legs: basic way
In the preparation of octopus tentacles, the most significant point is to achieve a delicate texture. The tentacles are the toughest part of the octopus.
First, you need to clean them and rinse them under cold water.
Next, boil the tentacles so that they become softer. The best way to cook this part of the octopus is to grill it.
How to cook octopus Spanish-style
The Spaniards came up with their way of cooking octopus to make it soft and fragrant. If you want to repeat the recipe, then prepare the following ingredients:
- Onion — 1 piece
- Carrots — 1 piece
- Celery — 2 pieces
- Octopus — 1 piece
- Bay leaf — 1 piece
- Allspice – 3-5 pieces
- Herbs – to taste
- Boiled potatoes – 4-6 pieces (for serving)
- Paprika – to taste (for serving)
- Olive oil – To taste (for serving)
- Sea salt
Step-by-step cooking instructions:
- Pour the peeled coarsely chopped vegetables with water, add spices, bring to a boil, cook for 15 minutes.
- Lower the octopus into the broth, cook over medium heat for about half an hour. Remove the pan from the heat and leave everything to infuse for 15 minutes.
- Cut the potatoes into slices and arrange them on plates. Pour olive oil over it, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cut the octopus into pieces and put it on top, sprinkle with salt and paprika to taste.
How to cook octopus Greek-style
The main feature of the Greek octopus is the pre-freezing of the product. Many people consider this recipe difficult, but it is not. First, prepare the necessary ingredients:
- Octopus – 800 g
- Olive oil – 100 g
- Bay leaf — 3 pieces
- Vinegar – 3 tbsp
- Black pepper – 1/2 tsp
step-by-step cooking instructions:
- Rinse the octopus and clean it of mucus
- Place the octopus in a saucepan
- Add 50 g of olive oil, pepper, and bay leaf
- Leave it to cook on low heat for 60 minutes, turning it over periodically
- Transfer the octopus to a baking sheet and pour the remaining oil over it
- Put the octopus in the oven, preheated at 180 degrees for 20 minutes
- Pour grape vinegar over the octopus
How to cook frozen octopus
Many are afraid to use frozen octopus meat, but experts consider this option the most successful. Pre-freezing helps to make the meat more tender. The method of cooking frozen octopus remains the same.
The main thing is to let it thaw naturally at room temperature. If you want to defrost the octopus faster, put it in hot water for 2 hours. However, experts do not advise doing this, it is better to let it unfreeze itself in 24 hours.
How to cook octopus in a pan
Experts believe that a frying pan is not the best option for cooking octopus. It is best to use a grill that can make the texture of the clam meat more tender. However, if you still choose a frying pan, choose the option of not frying, but stewing in liquid.
Conclusion
Octopus is a delicacy that can saturate your body with vitamins and minerals. Having all the properties of fish products, shellfish also combines a high protein content, like meat.
However, in order not to get infected with parasites, you must be able to choose and prepare this product correctly. The best way is to make a grilled octopus. There are plenty of octopus recipes – choose the most suitable for you! And do not think that it is hard to make cooked octopus at home.