Pulpín con Patatines

It is a real shame that octopus is not a more popular food in the States. The wild octopus off U.S. coastal waters is some of the best in the world, and much of European fishing fleets travel to the continental shelf specifically to harvest this misunderstood American delicacy. It is wildly popular both in southern Europe and in Asia. In Asturias, as well as in neighboring Galicia, it is an ever-present tapa at parties and festivals, so much so that the most popular preparation; pulpo a la feira literally translates as “party octopus”.

Most recipes for Octopus in Asturias are actually from neighboring Galicia. This is actually the only well known preparation that is native to Asturias. To me, that makes it a good place to start with Asturian seafood. I promise this isn’t deep fried and covered in canned marinara sauce!

The Octopus

Properly cooked, it is chewy and firm, but never rubbery. Satisfyingly meaty, it is a favorite for grilling and stewing. It can be a bit of a learning curve at first for cooks unfamiliar with it, which is why I recommend using precooked octopus meat for your first forays into cephalopod cookery.

When buying a precooked octopus, or precooked meat, make sure that the skin is dark reddish purple, like the image here, and the flesh is bright white. using precooked will almost guarantee a tender, buttery-soft meat that goes well in any recipe, but is particularly good in this stew. The slightly salty, briny, oceanic taste is a perfect complement to the waxy stewing potatoes. Combined with a flavorful paprika-based broth, this is comfort food for sure.

Ingredients

• 400 g Octopus, precooked.
• 3 cloves garlic.
• 1 large white onion.
• 1/2 green bell pepper. Diced fine.
• 2 large waxy potato. Cut into chunks
• Spanish (or sweet) paprika, to taste.
• Salt, to taste.
• Olive Oil, to taste.

Instructions

1. In a large pot, preferably cast iron, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cover the surface of the oil with your pimentón or sweet paprika, sprinkle on the salt and grind some fresh pepper in. Stir once, lazily, and wait until the concoction is bubbling ever so slightly. you are looking for tiny, pinhead bubbles – the first ones you see when a liquid starts to boil.
2. At this point, you are ready to begin cooking. Start by peeling your onion and chopping it into roughly 1/2 inch squares. You need a small onion, or half a normal sized one. Dice one small green bell pepper as well. Toss these into your now bubbling oil and spice mixture and stir well to coat all the onion in your spice mixture. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 8-10 minutes.
3. While the onion is softening and becoming translucent, dice two cloves of garlic medium-small. Once the onion is translucent, add the garlic and stir well. Cook a few more minutes, until the smell of the garlic overpowers the smell of the onion when you put your face over the pot.
4. Deglaze the pot, either with Asturian-style cider if you have it, or with a generous splash of dry white wine followed by a splash of apple cider vinegar. If necessary, scrape the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon. You may find a nicely crunchy bit of garlic down there.
5. Add your diced potatoes and add hot water to cover by two fingers. Bring back to a boil over high-heat, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer until potatoes are soft (easily pierced by a relatively dull paring knife). This will take approximately 30 minutes.
6. If your octopus is a whole or a large chunk this is when you should cut it into small, bite-sized, pieces. If not, chill and have a drink while you wait. What’s the point of cooking stews if they aren’t an excuse for day drinking? Once the potatoes are done, turn off the heat and stir in your precooked octopus. Let the whole stew sit for at least 10 minutes with a lid on to warm up the octopus before serving. Ladle into wide bowls and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

• I very much recommend precooked octopus for this recipe (and in general). There are several widely available options. Nuchar brand is available in Costco (and some Wal-Marts); almost every Asian market will have fresh (live), raw, and precooked; and in a pinch you can mail order some at a reasonable price.