Pan-seared octopus with thyme and turnip purée

by Adriano Davola - Congusto Gourmet Institute

Ingredients

 

  • 1200 gr. - Octopus
  • 300 gr. - White turnip
  • 100 gr. - Potatoes
  • 1 - White onion
  • 1 - Carrot
  • 1 - Celery stick
  • 1 - Leek
  • 1 - Garlic clove
  • 1 - Bunch of parsley
  • 1 - Bunch of thyme
  • 30 gr. - White wine
  • Q.s. - Monocultivar Nocellara Extra Virgin Olive Oil Olitalia
  • Q.s. - Salt
  • Q.s. - Black pepper
Pan-seared octopus with thyme and turnip purée 1
Pan-seared octopus with thyme and turnip purée 2

Extra virgin olive oil

Monocultivar Nocellara Extra virgin olive oil

See all

Method

For the turnip purée

  • 1

    Peel and coarse chop the turnips and potatoes. Heat a little Monocultivar Nocellara Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a saucepan, brown the potatoes for 1 minute, then add the turnips and cook for another couple of minutes on a high heat. Add some water and cook for about 20 minutes or until well-cooked.

  • 2

    When cooked, remove any excess water, and blend the potatoes and turnips by adding some salt, a few grindings of black pepper and the Extra Virgin Olive Oil until you get a smooth and homogeneous purée. Taste the purée and add some salt and pepper if needed.

 

For the octopus

    • 1

      Bring water to a boil and add some black peppercorns, the chopped onion, celery and carrot, some parsley stalks, some leek leaves, white wine and finally the octopus. Cook for about 35-40 minutes, or until the octopus is cooked.

      • 2

        Once the octopus is cooked, drain and leave it to cool.

        • 3

          Cut off the octopus tentacles, season with a pinch of salt and the Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

          • 4

            Put the poached garlic clove in a pan with a little oil and a couple of sprigs of thyme to give some fragrance. Then, sear quickly the tentacles until they become crispy.

           

          Food plating

          Place the ingredients on the plate: use the turnip purée as a base, then add the crispy octopus tentacles, a few fresh thyme leaves, and a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on top.