Cooking octopus: simple boil or broth?
I have heard about "polvo à feira" (Pulpo a la Gallega/Spannish style octopus) and I went on a search for recipes.
In one of my findings (https://youtu.be/bHSjnzNvJYo), I have seen Eric Ripert boiling the octopus with ham, celery, parsley, onion, garlic and seasonings (black pepper and paprika), in a process that he called a "broth".
As I am not familiar with it, is there advantages of doing a "broth" instead of a simple boil (in which one can add an onion) when it comes to the flavor?
Best Answer
Eric Ripert's approach is essentially that if the cooking liquid tastes good, it will help impart flavor on whatever you cook in that liquid.
By adding ham & aromatics, the goal is that the octopus will take on some of that flavor. By converse, the same theory would say that if you cook in a simpler, bland water, your octopus will flavor the water, and the water will dilute the octopus's flavor.
Whether it's necessary is really a point of personal preference. You may find that other ingredients in your recipe provide enough flavor that you can go with the simpler method, or you may find that it really needs that extra flavor.
In general, these seemingly complicated, seemingly unnecessary steps (like using broth instead of water) make restaurant dishes have a more complex, deeper taste. Sometimes that attention to detail is just the difference between a home cook and professional chef. Sometimes the difference can be subtle and feel "not worth it" when cooking at home--you'll have to decide that on your own.
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Quick Answer about "Cooking octopus: simple boil or broth?"
The most basic way of cooking octopus is to simmer it in liquid. Fill a saucepan with salted water and bring to the boil. Add the octopus, reduce the heat immediately and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes. It's important that the water is turned down to a gentle simmer once the octopus is in the pan.Do you boil octopus before cooking?
It just needs a good boil, after which it can be pickled, stewed, roasted, deep-fried, or grilled. If you plan to slice it before using another cooking method to finish it up, allow the boiled octopus to come to room temperature or chill entirely as it will be easier to cut. Use fresh or frozen octopus.Do you need to boil octopus before frying?
For a little extra dimension of flavor, pan-fry your pre-cooked octopus briefly in a hot skillet for some delicious caramelization on the outside. For the best result, start with the boiling or poaching method above, allowing the octopus to cook slowly and cool down before searing in a pan.Should I boil octopus before grilling?
Before grilling, an octopus first has to be cooked until tender. This two-stage cooking process guarantees great results. During the first stage, your goal is to cook the octopus until the tough connective-tissue collagen in its muscles melts into soft gelatin.Why do you boil octopus?
We know because we've tested all of those tricks... except for the washing machine. All you really need is time; you need to cook the octopus just long enough so that the tough and chewy collagen in its flesh converts into silky and tender gelatin.How to COOK \u0026 PREP OCTOPUS tender | Bart van Olphen
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