Polvo Lagareiro Recipe

Polvo lagareiro Polvo A Lagareiro Recipe by AuthenticFoodQuest

This Polvo a Lagareiro recipe is for a delicious and traditional Portuguese dish. Requiring only a few ingredients, it consists of roasted octopus, potatoes with herbs, onions, garlic, and lots of olive oil. Simple to make and amazingly tender, watch everyone’s eyes light up with delight as they savor this Portuguese octopus and potatoes recipe.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Portuguese

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 20

Servings:

Calories: 889kcal

Author: Authentic Food Quest

Equipment

1 Baking dish
1 Vegetable Brush

Ingredients

1.6 lbs octopus large frozen
6 potatoes small unpeeled
1 cup olive oil Portuguese extra virgin
1 onion medium
2 garlic cloves
3 bay leaves small
4 grains 7-spices
2 tbsp chopped cilantro or coriander
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Peel one onion, and cut it into fine julienne strips. Peel the garlic cloves and crush them.
Using a vegetable brush, wash octopus well under running water and set aside to let it drain. Frozen octopus comes ready to cook. Simply let it thaw out in the fridge at least 24 hours before cooking.
Clean out the area around the head for fresh octopus with a sharp kitchen knife. And remove excess dirt around the octopus tentacles as well as the ink sac.
In a large pot half filled with water, add bay leaves, 7-spice kernels and black peppercorns.
When the water comes to a boil, hold the octopus by the head and dip the tips of the tentacles into the water, count to three and pull it out, dip it again, and pull it out one more time. Repeat this procedure about five times until the octopus tentacles fully curl. The curled tentacles make for a stunning presentation.
Then, place the octopus fully into the boiling pot and let it cook for about 10 - 15 min until tender.
Remove octopus and rinse it under running water to stop it from cooking further. Set aside and let it rest and cool for a few minutes.
Wash unpeeled potatoes and place them in a medium pot with water seasoned with coarse salt.
Let small potatoes cook for approximately 20 min until tender. Remove and allow potatoes to cool slightly before punching or smashing them lightly.
Pour olive oil into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped peeled onion and crushed garlic cloves. Cook the onion for 5 to 10 mins until the onions turn translucent.
Place the octopus on a cutting board, and cut it into small wheels.
Next, place the potatoes on the board and smash them with a light punch.
Sprinkle olive oil on an oven safe dish around the base. Cover the entire base with the punched potatoes.
Spread the chopped octopus, both large pieces and small, over the potatoes. Cover with the fried onions and garlic mixture. Sprinkle lots more Portuguese olive oil for succulent flavors and textures.
Season with salt and black pepper and you can also add crushed red pepper flakes for a bite of spice. Top the dish with an additional bay leaf.
Preheat the oven to 320°F/ 160°C and cook for about 20 mins.
Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Serve hot and enjoy with a glass of Portuguese wine

Notes

Octopus tends to shrink when cooked, please keep that in mind when considering the quantities.
It’s much easier to work with frozen octopus than fresh octopus as it already cleaned and ready to cook.
Choose octopus with thicker tentacles for more texture.

Nutrition

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