Roasted Octopus with Courgette
Prep
20 mins
Cook
45 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
Tender roasted octopus tossed with caramelized courgette, crispy garlic, and a vibrant lemon-herb dressing. A Mediterranean-inspired dish that's elegant yet simple.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 1½ kgoctopus(cleaned and cut into tentacles)
- 3 mediumcourgettes(sliced into 1cm rounds)
- 6garlic cloves(thinly sliced)
- 100 mlextra virgin olive oil
- 1½lemon(zested and juiced)
- 30 gfresh parsley(roughly chopped)
- 2 sprigsfresh thyme
- 2bay leaf
- 1½ teaspoonsea salt
- ½ teaspoonblack pepper
- ¼ teaspoonred chilli flakes
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil with bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Add octopus tentacles and simmer for 35-40 minutes until tender, skewering with a fork to test doneness. Drain and let cool slightly, then cut into 5cm pieces.
Tip: Pre-boiling the octopus ensures it stays tender during roasting and prevents it from becoming rubbery.
- 2
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Arrange courgette slices on a large baking tray, drizzle with 40ml olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 15 minutes until golden.
Tip: Don't overcrowd the tray; arrange courgettes in a single layer so they caramelize rather than steam.
- 3
While courgettes roast, heat remaining 60ml olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until just starting to colour and fragrant.
Tip: Watch the garlic carefully to prevent burning, which will make it bitter.
- 4
Add the cooked octopus pieces to the garlic oil, along with lemon zest and red chilli flakes. Toss gently and cook for 2-3 minutes until warmed through.
Tip: The octopus just needs warming; extended cooking will toughen the texture.
- 5
Remove the courgettes from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Top with the octopus mixture and any garlic oil from the pan.
Tip: Keep the pan warm to preserve the infused oil which adds tremendous flavour.
- 6
Drizzle fresh lemon juice over the entire dish, scatter chopped parsley generously, and serve immediately with crusty bread on the side.
Tip: The fresh parsley and lemon juice brighten the dish and balance the richness of the olive oil.
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