INGREDIENTS

(serves six) 

For the octopus (enough for more thansix portions)
2kg octopus tentacles (from small octopuses)
200ml olive oil
40g crushed black olives including stones
¼ bayleaf
½ red chilli
20ml lemon juice
6 parsley stalks

For the aïoli
6 crushed garlic cloves
1 sliced red chilli
4 chopped coriander roots
1tsp sea salt
1 egg yolk
100ml extra virgin olive oil
15-20ml lemon juice

METHOD

Peel off the octopus skin leaving the suckers intact. Pat dry. Heat the oil and crushed olives to smoke point. Gather the tentacle tips together and lower carefully into the oil which will spatter. Turn down the heat and add the rest of the ingredients when the oil is cool enough to simmer them without burning. Cover and stew for about 40 minutes.

Pound garlic chilli coriander and salt together. Incorporate the yolk and then a few drops at a time the oil to emulsify the sauce. Flavour with lemon to taste.

Slice tentacles into 1cm lengths. Arrange on a plate with aïoli and optionally a tomato and coriander garnish.