Octopus recipes
The octopus is a larger cephalopod cousin of the squid, with most of the meat in its eight tentacles. Octopi live longer than squid, making them tougher and therefore a bit more tricky to prepare. But, cooked well, octopus can be delicious.
by Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo
It's something of an Italian Christmas Eve tradition to feast on this fish stew. And it's done in 30 minutes!
More octopus recipes
Preparation
Octopus can be tough if not tenderised before cooking. The traditional way to tenderise the meat is to hurl it against rocks; an easier method is to simmer it for an hour. After pre-cooking, grill or stew the octopus until tender. Rice with octopus is a popular fried dish from Portugal, or try stewing it in Elizabeth David's Genoese fish stew or burrida.
