I first fell in love with octopus on my second trip to Greece. We decided to go to a little town called Agios Nikolaos on the eastern edge of Crete. There was a restaurant high on the rocks overlooking the lake and ocean which did a fantastic octopus with a chickpea and aqua faba puree. In the 10 days we were there we ate at that restaurant 3 times. That was my inspiration for this balsamic grilled octopus with polenta.
Picture this: A moonlit evening by the sea, the air heavy with the perfume of salt and pine. You find yourself seated at a weathered wooden table, the kind that has seen decades of fishermen and poets alike, each one stealing a moment of quiet solace before the bustle of life interrupts again.
Before you is a dish, the dish: a perfectly charred octopus, kissed by fire, resting delicately atop a bed of decadent corn grains. The grains—imagine them to be the gold dust of the earth itself—have absorbed the heat of the Mediterranean sun, the flavor so rich it evokes centuries of history. A drizzle of lemon-infused olive oil—oh, but not just any oil—this one hails from an olive grove perched on the cliffs of Greece, where the wind and the soil conspire to create something truly miraculous.
The octopus, tender yet with a crispness that speaks of the sea’s resilience, beckons with its smoky depth. And then, just when you think you’ve uncovered every secret, a sprinkle of sumac and a hint of fresh mint. The mint, so vibrant, so alive, lifts the dish from mere sustenance to something transcendent.
But as you take that first bite, you realize something remarkable. It’s not just about food. It’s about memory. About the places you’ve been and the ones you’ve yet to visit. It’s about the feeling of holding a glass of deep red wine, cool in your hand, as you listen to the soft lapping of the waves. The world, it seems, has conspired to give you this moment—this bite—this story.
And as the last morsel disappears, you sit back, sated, yet craving the next chapter.
Ingredients
Grilled Octopus
- 200 grams Octopus Tentacle. You can buy fresh, frozen, or vacuum sealed. Try to go for fresh, but if you can’t, anything else is fine.
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Glassa. You can buy it straight in the bottle, or make it yourself by reducing Balsamic Vinegar 75% in a saucepan.
- 1 Shallot; chopped
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
Polenta
- 75 grams Ground Cornmeal. For the polenta, just a standard fine cornmeal is good.
- 50 grams Parmigiano Reggiano; grated. You can also use Gran Padano or Pecorino Romano if you want. Any hard salty cheese goes well in polenta.
- 300 ml Water
- 2 tbsp Butter; non salted.
Salad
- 1 Tomato.
- 10 Chickpeas
- 1 Avocado
- 2 tbsp Heavy Cream
The Rest
- Salt
- Radish Sprouts
- Plucked Baby Mint, optional
- Sumac, to dust, optional
Grilled Octopus Instructions
1. As the Polenta and the Octopus take a similar amount of time we can start with the boiling of the octopus, then set it for a half hour while making the polenta. In a large saucepan, fill about 3/4 the way with water and add a few tbsp of salt. Bring up to a boil. When boiling, reduce to a simmer and drop in the octopus tentacles. Set on a back burner for at least a half hour.
2. In a pot begin boiling the 300 ml of water with a pinch of salt. When you reach a rolling boil, slowly pour in the cornmeal while whisking rapidly to prevent any clumps. Lower the heat to medium and continue whisking for 5 minutes straight. By now the there should be about an equal amount of cornmeal to water so it’s like a thick slurry. Put the heat on very low and lid the pot. You will stir it up every 5 minutes for the next 25 minutes.
3. As you have a bit of free time since all you need to do is stir the polenta every 5 minutes, let’s make the avocado cream for the salad. Using a stick blender (or just a regular blender), mix together one whole avocado with the heavy cream and a pinch of salt until you’re left with a light green cream. Chop up 1 tomato as well, and peel the skin off 10 or so chickpeas.
4. When the polenta is done and thick, drop in the butter and mix once more. When the butter is fully incorporated, add the grated parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly and set aside for 10-15 minutes off the flame with the lid on.
5. Take the octopus tentacles and drop them in a bowl of ice water. Empty the saucepan. Dry the tentacles with a towel and rub down with the balsamic glassa.
6. In a very hot grill pan or skillet add the olive oil and the chopped shallot, then drop the balsamic octopus tentacles down and cook for just a minute or so per side. As we are using a high flame with low smoke point oils, the balsamic may flame up so best to be careful when doing this step. This is okay however and will make a nice glaze/crust caramelize along the edge of the octopus’ tentacles.
7. Plate the dish. Smear the avocado cream down and top with the chopped tomatoes and some chickpeas. Add a dollop of polenta and form into an oval or circle, then top with the balsamic grilled octopus. Salt the salad to taste and serve.
Try These Other Delicious Octopus Recipes
What Do You Think Of This Grilled Octopus Recipe? Let Me Know In The Comments Down Below!
Balsamic Grilled Octopus With Polenta
Ingredients
Method
- As the Polenta and the Octopus take a similar amount of time we can start with the boiling of the octopus, then set it for a half hour while making the polenta. In a large saucepan, fill about 3/4 the way with water and add a few tbsp of salt. Bring up to a boil. When boiling, reduce to a simmer and drop in the octopus tentacles. Set on a back burner for at least a half hour.
- In a pot begin boiling the 300 ml of water with a pinch of salt. When you reach a rolling boil, slowly pour in the cornmeal while whisking rapidly to prevent any clumps. Lower the heat to medium and continue whisking for 5 minutes straight. By now the there should be about an equal amount of cornmeal to water so it’s like a thick slurry. Put the heat on very low and lid the pot. You will stir it up every 5 minutes for the next 25 minutes.
- As you have a bit of free time since all you need to do is stir the polenta every 5 minutes, let’s make the avocado cream for the salad. Using a stick blender (or just a regular blender), mix together one whole avocado with the heavy cream and a pinch of salt until you’re left with a light green cream. Chop up 1 tomato as well, and peel the skin off 10 or so chickpeas.
- When the polenta is done and thick, drop in the butter and mix once more. When the butter is fully incorporated, add the grated parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly and set aside for 10-15 minutes off the flame with the lid on.
- Take the octopus tentacles and drop them in a bowl of ice water. Empty the saucepan. Dry the tentacles with a towel and rub down with the balsamic glassa.
- In a very hot grill pan or skillet add the olive oil and the chopped shallot, then drop the balsamic octopus tentacles down and cook for just a minute or so per side. As we are using a high flame with low smoke point oils, the balsamic may flame up so best to be careful when doing this step. This is okay however and will make a nice glaze/crust caramelize along the edge of the octopus’ tentacles.
- Plate the dish. Smear the avocado cream down and top with the chopped tomatoes and some chickpeas. Add a dollop of polenta and form into an oval or circle, then top with the balsamic grilled octopus. Salt the salad to taste and serve.
