Succulent Octopus Recipe in Wine & Vinegar

This is a really delicious octopus recipe that marinates and tenderizes the octopus meat in a red wine and vinegar sauce. It's a traditional dish from the Greek island of Ithaca in the Ionian Sea. 

Octopus Recipe: Ingredients List

So the ingredients that we are going to need are the following:

• one small whole octopus of approximately one+ pound (if you cannot find a small whole octopus, you can likely find and use fewer larger pieces, though these will likely be tougher meat, and so will need extra water to boil longer). 
• one glass of red wine (in our case we recommend our brusque and strong Sangiovese) 
• half a glass of red wine vinegar
• half a cup of extra virgin olive oil
• two bay leaves
• fresh black pepper 

Octopus Recipe: Cooking Steps

First of all we start by thoroughly washing the octopus. We cut the legs in pieces. In a large, wide bowl we put together the red wine and the vinegar, and we put inside the pieces of the octopus, and we leave them to marinate for at least two hours. After at least a couple of hours you remove the octopus and place them in a pot where we start the stove on a low flame setting. 

Without adding any water or juice, and with the pot covered, we leave the octopus until the meat has softened, while it excretes its juices. 

All the juices that are released from the octopus we take out and add to the marinade with the wine and vinegar. 

Now in a dry pot you add the extra virgin olive oil, and we brown the octopus pieces evenly on all sides, on a medium flame. Once browned, we add into the pot the wine/vinegar/juice marinade. 

You add only fresh pepper and the two bay leaves. The dish probably will not need any salt. And the ingredients are left to boil together until all the juices have evaporated, leaving behind just a thickened sauce. 

What wine pairs well with octopus?

This delicious octopus dish can be served either hot or cold. If you leave it in the fridge, it’s even better the next day as the flavors have fully “set” together with the meat.

Traditionally it’s a great appetizer to share, and you can even mix it into a large pasta dish, like linguine. 

Despite the fact that we cooked the octopus with a bold red wine (Sangiovese) we recommend the dish be paired with a lighter wine like a Stony Brook Blush, because its still summery and fruity, but is still closely related to a dry European rose wine.

What's New?

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

1. Dr

   Dec 04, 14 04:30 PM

   When France lost Algeria in 1960, a great worry of winemakers wad what are we going to do now? French wines from many regions WERE B,ENDED WITH MUCH STRONGER

   Read More

2. How to make port wine - and history!

   Dec 04, 14 03:26 PM

   
   How to make port wine - delicious, heart-warming, the perfect gift

   Read More

3. Wine accessory shopping for the holidays

   Nov 01, 14 04:25 PM

   
   Wine accessory shopping for the holidays

   Read More