Octopus Salad with Lentils, Fennel and Citrus

Name: Octopus Salad with Lentils, Fennel and Citrus
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil; 3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice; 3 tbsp (45 ml) clementine or orange juice; 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey; ½ tsp red pepper flakes; 1 large frozen octopus (or 2 small), about 2 ½ lb (1.2 kg), thawed (see note); 8 cups (2 litres) water; 2 onions, halved; 2 stalks celery, cut into pieces; 1 lemon, the juice only; 1 clove garlic, chopped; 2 oranges; 1 grapefruit; 1 recipe cooked lentils; 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced; ½ cup (15 g) arugula, chopped; Salt and pepper

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Preparation 50 MIN

Cooking 50 MIN
Servings 6

Grown in Umbria, Abruzzo and Sicily, most dried lentil varieties don’t need soaking before cooking. For this recipe, our lentils absorb the salad’s citrusy dressing, helping their flavour pop so that they really come alive when paired with perfectly grilled octopus.

Ingredients
Preparation

Ingredients

Dressing

3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice
3 tbsp (45 ml) clementine or orange juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
½ tsp red pepper flakes

Octopus

1 large frozen octopus (or 2 small), about 2 ½ lb (1.2 kg), thawed (see note)
8 cups (2 litres) water
2 onions, halved
2 stalks celery, cut into pieces
1 lemon, the juice only
1 clove garlic, chopped

Salad

2 oranges
1 grapefruit
1 recipe cooked lentils
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
½ cup (15 g) arugula, chopped
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Dressing

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Set aside.

Octopus

Rinse the octopus under cold running water. Drain. Cut the tentacles from the base of the head and remove the beak. Discard the head and beak.
Into a large saucepan, place all the ingredients except for the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 45 minutes or until the octopus is tender and its skin easily detaches. Drain.
Gently rub the tentacles under cold running water to remove the skin. Place in a bowl and coat with the garlic and half of the dressing.
Preheat the grill, setting the burners to high. Oil the grate.
Grill the octopus for 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Set aside.

Salad

On a work surface, peel the citrus fruit raw. Remove the segments (see note). Cut the grapefruit segments in half.
In a bowl, combine the skinless citrus segments, lentils, fennel, arugula and the remaining dressing.
Serve the salad with the grilled octopus.