Grilled octopus

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 kg octopus, frozen or fresh
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 celery
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours

Clean the octopus under running water. Feel free to use frozen octopus. This has the advantage that the protein structure is already broken down. This makes preparation much easier. Fresh octopus, on the other hand, would need to be tenderized with a meat tenderizer. Fresh octopus isn’t available in Germany anyway. Remove the mouth; it can be squeezed out. Add the olive oil to a saucepan and heat gently. Add all ingredients except salt and pepper and let the octopus simmer over low heat for about 1 1/2 hours. Then check the consistency with a knife; the knife should be able to penetrate with light pressure. Do not use salt or pepper during cooking, as this will only make the octopus tough. If you like, you can also add a white wine cork. A red wine cork won’t work. Drain and cut the octopus open along the legs. Place it on the grill for 5-10 minutes. This will give it a roasted flavor and make it look delicious. Season with salt and pepper to taste.