Written By Holly Brooke Edibles / Pantry / Restaurants Jun 11, 2014 On The Menu: From Spicy Octopus Salad to Octopus with Squid Ink Crisp SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter PinterestOf all the seafood consumed in western cuisine, octopus has gotten a bad rap. And not surprisingly either; the octopus holds a great deal of mysticism for many of us. It is undoubtedly one of the more mysterious creatures of the sea (their ancestors date back over 200 million years).And along with its prehistoric features (having eight arms, three hearts, no internal skeleton, and the ability to change colours and expulse ink in times of retreat) octopi are not the easiest to work with in the kitchen. Nonetheless, for many cultures around the world, octopus has long been regarded as a delicacy. Mediterranean, Italian and Japanese cooks, for instance, favour having it on the menu. Recently however, as the west coast consumer focuses more on eating sustainably, octopus has been finding its place on to the plate.As a highly nutritious and locally sourced product, you can expect to see octopus surfacing in restaurants more often. Chefs are getting bold with it too — long gone is the classic “calamari” style, slathered in flour and deep fried. Instead, octopus is now being served marinated in salads, confit dressed, char grilled, in pasta, or in risotto.Being a by-catch of spot prawn fishing, the Pacific octopus is a hit or miss food. It all depends on whether they happen to be in the area at the time when prawn season takes place (May-June). Fortunately, octopus freezes well and freezing increases the tenderness. Even still, it’s an unpredictable catch so look for it year round (if available) in these following locations:Where to buy octopus:Cowichan Bay Seafood Satellite Fish Fairways (not local)Find it on the Menu:Stage Wine Bar: Stage creates a delicate Octopus and Tuna Antipasti for the summer season. It’s prepared confit style and served with arugula, roasted peppers, white beans, shaved red onions in a preserved lemon vinaigrette for $12.75.Chef Sam says “Guests are embracing the octopus. Ten years ago people wouldn’t go there. Nowadays, people are discovering local food is extremely delicious.”Foo Asian Food: Foo has had the Octopus Salad on their menu since day one. It’s sweet and spicy, fresh and full of flavour. Braised and slowly simmered until tender flash fried and dressed in a sweet chili glaze and served with thai basil, cilantro, lettuce, bean sprouts in a lime chili dressing. $11Ulla: Ulla offers a gorgeous Giant Pacific Octopus Salad prepared with grilled potatoes, charred pickled jalapenos, roasted peppers in a charred yogurt and arugula herb puree, finished with a squid ink crisp. $14How to prepare octopus:Chef Brad from Ulla showed me how he’s been cooking octopus on his menu: From the freezer (purchased from Finest at Sea), it’s lightly blanched and then added to the pressure cooker with a basic mirepoix (celery, onions, carrots), brought to a boil and set to a full pressure for 20 minutes. The hood of the octopus is salted, sugared and smoked into “bacon.” After the pressure cooker the octopus is sliced thin, brushed with olive oil and placed on the grill for about 3 minutes a side and then it’s ready to plate.“Octopus is truly a world class product” says Brad. If you want to try something new, best to try octopus at a restaurant first. Always trust the chef. You’re not going to end up with anything chewy and unpalatable [at Ulla]. This is a composed, light octopus dish, perfect as a starter to your meal. Octopus is a great local product that truly expresses the full spectrum of the ocean,” says Brad.Thus, despite its primitive features and particular cooking requirements, when handled correctly and cooked just right, octopus is a highly flavourful, delicate and tender food. Support your local economy. Eat an octopus.Sidebar: Octopus nutrition facts (http://nutrition.indobase.com/articles/octopus-nutrition.php)octopusRestaurantsVictoria SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Written By: Holly Brooke Holly Brooke is a true B.C. gal. Having lived on the west coast most of her life, except for several years in the Kootenay's where she canoed and fished and lived in a tipi, she's very much at home outdoors and in the kitchen. ... Read More You may also like Food News November 2, 2022 Rancho Vignola – Vancouver Island Harvest Sale – November 25 & 26, 2022 For the ninth year in a row Rancho Vignola is setting up its Vancouver Island Harvest Sale here at the Mary Winspear Center in Sidney. Many of ... Read More Breads/Pastries / Dessert / Recipes November 1, 2022 Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled Steak Salad Sweet Endings September ... Read More Breads/Pastries / Dessert / Recipes November 1, 2022 Sweet Endings — A Memory of Lemon Pudding Sweet Endings September ... Read More Breads/Pastries / Dessert / Recipes November 1, 2022 Sweet Endings — Chocolate Custard Cake Sweet Endings September ... Read More Dessert / Recipes November 1, 2022 Masterclass — Candied Citrus Masterclass Candied Citrus Holiday ... Read More Dessert / Recipes September 6, 2022 Masterclass — Plum Clafouti Masterclass July|August Plum ... Read More Comments are closed.
Food News November 2, 2022 Rancho Vignola – Vancouver Island Harvest Sale – November 25 & 26, 2022 For the ninth year in a row Rancho Vignola is setting up its Vancouver Island Harvest Sale here at the Mary Winspear Center in Sidney. Many of ... Read More
Breads/Pastries / Dessert / Recipes November 1, 2022 Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled Steak Salad Sweet Endings September ... Read More
Breads/Pastries / Dessert / Recipes November 1, 2022 Sweet Endings — A Memory of Lemon Pudding Sweet Endings September ... Read More
Breads/Pastries / Dessert / Recipes November 1, 2022 Sweet Endings — Chocolate Custard Cake Sweet Endings September ... Read More
Dessert / Recipes November 1, 2022 Masterclass — Candied Citrus Masterclass Candied Citrus Holiday ... Read More
Dessert / Recipes September 6, 2022 Masterclass — Plum Clafouti Masterclass July|August Plum ... Read More
2022 Issues / Drink / EAT Magazine News / Food / Magazine Jan 3, 2023 January|February 2023 Issue November | December issue on the stands. Read ... Read More
Food News Nov 2, 2022 Rancho Vignola – Vancouver Island Harvest Sale – November 25 & 26, 2022 For the ninth year in a row Rancho Vignola is setting up its Vancouver Island Harvest Sale here at the Mary Winspear Center in Sidney. Many of ... Read More
City Eats / Food Events / Food News Nov 1, 2022 City Eats November | December 2022 Season’s Greetings EAT readers! We at EAT are looking forward to all the wonderful seasonal baking on offer around the city. One of the great joys ... Read More
Dessert / Recipes Nov 1, 2022 Masterclass — Candied Citrus Masterclass Candied Citrus Holiday ... Read More
Red Wine Jun 1, 2011 Fairview Cellars Madcap Red 2008 Tucked into the north end of the Golden Mile benches, on some particularly choice dirt (part of the Reed Creek alluvial fan), and between the driving ... Read More