6 Minute Meals: Louie Louie's Charred Spanish Octopus
The Meal: Charred Spanish Octopus from Executive Chef Greg Maloney of Louie Louie in University City
Charred Spanish Octopus
4 oz braised Spanish octopus (recipe below)
Chef Tip: Most seafood counters will sell the octopus pre-cooked, which is a much easier option. The chef cooks it a few days ahead of time and uses it in a variety of recipes throughout the week.
2 oz sliced Spanish chorizo
Chef Tip: Any spicy chorizo or salami would work well
3 blanched fingerling potatoes, cut lengthwise
Chef Tip: You can use leftover potatoes from any previous preparation
Salsa Verde
Bell pepper jam
Roasted garlic aioli
Chef Tip: You can pick up all three condiments premade at the store. If you want to make your own, the chef's recipes are below.
One shallot, minced
One clove garlic, minced
1 pat butter
1 lemon wedge
Greens as optional garnish
Heat your pan on medium heat
Chef Tip: The chef recommends using a cast iron pan but any sauté pan will do
Melt butter and then add shallot and garlic
Chef Tip: The chef likes to add shallots and garlic to virtually anything he sautés but you can omit it if desired.
Add chorizo
Chef Tip: The fat from the chorizo will render and infuse the dish so it's important it go in the pan first
Add fingerling potatoes cut side down so they will brown and turn the heat up to high
Add octopus and saute until it takes on some color
Chef Tip: If the garlic starts to get too dark, you can add a ladle full of vegetable stock, a little white wine or even water. That will stop the browning process and also steam the dish.
When the octopus has taken on a little color, turn the heat to low and prepare the plate
Spoon Salsa Verde onto plate
Arrange the potatoes in a row on the plate to create a foundation for the dish
Create a second layer with your chorizo and octopus
Add pepper jam and micro greens to the top
Chef Tip: Spread the pepper jam across the dish so you get a little bit in each bite
Place a few small dollops of aioli on plate.
Chef Tip: Because the octopus is so lean, you need fat in the recipe for flavor.
Finish with a squeeze of lemon, garnish with herbs and serve
Braised octopus
1-2 lbs of fresh spanish octopus, head removed
1 whole lemon
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup red wine (cheap box burgundy works best)
1 qt water
4 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons kosher salt
Preheat oven to 200F degrees.
In a Dutch oven on your stove top, bring balsamic vinegar, red wine, and water to a boil
Cut lemon in half, squeezing juice into boiling braising liquid before adding it into the pot
Add remaining ingredients
Cover with lid or aluminum foil, and place in 200F degree oven
Braise for 4 hours or until tender
Remove from oven, uncover, and let cool in the liquid until cool enough to handle
Cut octopus legs into 1.5 in chunks.
Salsa Verde
2 lbs tomatillos, gushers
1 small Spanish onion, cleaned and quartered
1 poblano pepper
3 cloves fresh garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons Tabasco
2 teaspoons salt
Preheat oven to 450F
Toss tomatillos, onion, and pablano pepper in olive oil
Place on baking sheet and roast in oven for 25 minutes or until vegetables take on dark caramel color.
Once removed from oven, place poblano pepper in small bowl and cover with plastic
This will help steam the pepper and make it easier to remove the skin
Let all veggies cool to room temperature
Once cooled, remove stem, skin, and degrees from pepper
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Roasted garlic aioli
1/2 cup garlic cloves
2 cups canola oil
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt
Place canola oil and garlic into small pot and cook on low to medium heat until garlic is dark caramel color and tender all the way through
Let cool to room temperature
Strain to separate garlic and oil, but reserving both.
Place egg yolks, lemon and roasted garlic in a blender and puree on high
Once mixture is smooth, with the blur still on high, slowly add oil back into mixture until mixture is mayonnaise consistency
Refrigerate until used
Pepper Jam
2 large red bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 large yellow bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 medium shallot, diced
Juice of 2 lemons
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
Sweat all vegetables in large sauce pot on low heat until tender
Add remaining ingredients and cook on low heat until mixture is the consistency of warm maple syrup
Refrigerate before use
The Deal: A complimentary Crme Brulee - Madagascar vanilla bean, fresh berries with the purchase of an entrée if you tell your server you saw the segment on 6abc. Offer good Wednesday, December 11 and Thursday, December 12, 2019
Louie Louie
3611 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
(267) 805-8585
https://louielouie.restaurant/
