2974. FRENCH-STYLE BRAISED OCTOPUS with FENNEL and BACON BONES

serves as a main meal for 6


3 lb. baby octopus
10 garlic cloves
2 inches knob ginger, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup honey
3 medium-sized carrots
3 sticks of celery
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, extra
2 1/2 inch knob ginger, sliced
8 small salad onions, trimmed and cut into quarters
1 baby fennel bulb, finely sliced lengthways
5 oz. smoked bacon bones, sliced
1 tablespoon sea salt, extra
1/2 bunch thyme
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/3 cup red wine

To clean octopus, cut tentacles away from head below the beak. Cut away and discard the beak, then turn the body inside out. Remove ink sac and internal organs. Strip skin away from head and tentacles under running water. Rinse and drain well, then cut octopus in half.

Pound garlic, chopped ginger and salt with a pestle and mortar until crushed. Stir in vinegar and oil. Place octopus in a bowl and pour over garlic mixture and honey. Using your hands, mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, peel carrots, cut into quarters lengthways and slice. Cut celery sticks in half lengthways and slice. Heat extra oil in a large, heavy-based pan, add sliced ginger, carrots, celery, onions, fennel, bacon bones and extra salt.

Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until vegetables are lightly browned. Add thyme and sugar, increase heat again and cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 2 minutes.

Drain octopus from marinade; reserve marinade. Add octopus to pan and stir over high heat to sear octopus and seal in juices. Pour in reserved marinade, along with wine, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, for about 45 minutes, or until octopus is tender.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kylie Kwong, ABC.net, Australia, November 19, 2003