Octopus - Braised with Advieh and Saffron
An amazing fusion of flavours characterize this unique seafood dish. The combination of Eastern spices and Saffron with fresh braised then grilled octopus simply must be tried!
Recipe Compliments of – Chef Behzad Jamshidi
Cooking Directions
Advieh:
Toast cumin seeds, green cardamom and clove in a heavy base pan over medium heat until fragrant, approximately 2-3 minutes. Place the remaining spices along with the cumin seed, green cardamom, and clove into a spice grinder, and grind until the spices are fine. Reserve for next step.
Octopus:
Removed the head and beak from the octopus, and discard.
Place octopus along with all other listed ingredients into a heavy based pot, and cover the surface of the octopus with cold water. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, cover with a lid and reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer.
Cook octopus approximately 1.5 hours, checking for tenderness after the first hour by gently inserting a pairing knife into the thickest part of the leg, and feeling for resistance. The octopus is done when the knife can be inserted and removed very easily. A sign of overcooking is when the tentacles start falling off the legs, be weary to not overcook the octopus.
Allow octopus to cool completely in the braising liquid.
Remove from the braising liquid and cut the octopus up into it’s individual legs, and then again in half, cutting apart the thinner part of the legs from the thicker part. Coat the octopus lightly in olive oil. Grill octopus over a pre-heated grill on high; for 1-2 minutes per side for the smaller legs, and 3- 4 minutes per side for the larger legs.
Remove from heat and reserve for plating.
Ingredients
Advieh:
- 20 g ceylon cinnamon (ground) 2 g
- 20 g nutmeg (grated / ground) 2g
- 20 g rose petals 2g
- 20 g green Cardamom (toasted / ground) 2g
- 10 g cumin Seed, toasted 1g
- 5 g clove, toasted 1-2
Octopus:
- 8 kg Pacific Octopus 1kg
- 95 g Advieh 10g
- 5 L dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Pinot Blanc, Gris or Grigio) 0.5L
- 1 head garlic, smashed half
- 2 large white onions, peeled, chopped 1
- 10 g black peppercorns 1 g
- 2 sprigs thyme 1
- 1 bulb fennel, sliced half
- 70 g sea salt 7g
- 20 ml extra virgin olive oil table spoon
- 1 g Persian saffron 5g
