Pulpo a la Plancha con Patatas y Pimentón

Before you start

• Prepare the boiling bath.

  Fill a large stockpot with water, leaving room for the octopus. Add the onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and enough kosher salt to make it taste like seawater. Bring to a violent boil.

• Scare the octopus to set the skin.

  Grab the octopus by the head with tongs. Plunge the tentacles into the boiling water for exactly 3 seconds, then pull it out. Wait 10 seconds for the boil to return, and dip it again for 3 seconds. Dip a third time, then drop the entire octopus into the pot.

• Simmer until perfectly tender.

  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 45 to 60 minutes. A paring knife should slide into the thickest part of a tentacle with zero resistance, like inserting a knife into warm butter.

• Rest, portion, and chill the octopus overnight.

  Remove the pot from the heat and let the octopus sit in the broth for 15 minutes. Transfer to a board to cool, cut the tentacles from the head, and refrigerate them in an airtight container overnight.

• Boil the potatoes in the reserved octopus broth.

  Return the dark, ruby-colored octopus water to a boil. Drop in the whole potatoes and cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Let them cool slightly, tear them into ragged 1-inch chunks by hand, and refrigerate alongside the octopus.

Ingredients

• whole frozen octopus1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb)
• large yellow onion1 large
• fresh bay leaves2 large
• black peppercorns1 tbsp
• kosher salt1/2 cup
• Yukon Gold potatoes1 lb
• Spanish extra virgin olive oil1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp
• garlic3 med cloves
• Pimentón de la Vera Dulce1 tsp
• Pimentón de la Vera Picante1/2 tsp
• Vinagre de Jerez1 tbsp
• flaky sea salt1 pinch
• lemon1 med

Method

1. 01

   Infuse the garlic oil.

   In a small skillet, combine 1/4 cup of the olive oil and the sliced garlic over medium-low heat. Cook slowly until the garlic just begins to turn pale gold.

2. 02

   Bloom the paprika off the heat.

   Remove the skillet from the heat immediately. Wait 30 seconds, then stir in both the sweet and hot pimentón. Whisk in the sherry vinegar to create a warm, emulsified vinaigrette.

3. 03

   Get the plancha ripping hot.

   Place a large cast-iron skillet or carbon steel plancha over the highest possible heat. Turn on your exhaust fan and let the pan get smoking hot.

4. 04

   Blister the octopus and potatoes.

   Toss the chilled tentacles and torn potatoes with the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil. Lay them into the dry, smoking skillet without moving them. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes until a deep, dark crust forms, then flip and sear for 2 minutes on the other side.

5. 05

   Dress and serve immediately.

   Tumble the crispy potatoes onto a warm platter and top with the charred tentacles. Generously spoon the warm pimentón-sherry vinaigrette over everything, finish with flaky sea salt, and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

• Do not substitute the paprika or the vinegar.

  Grocery store paprika is dried with hot air; Pimentón de la Vera is oak-smoked for two weeks. Sherry vinegar brings an oxidative depth that red wine vinegar lacks. Without them, you are making a decent seafood dish, but you are not recreating the tapas bar experience.

• The overnight chill is a mandatory restaurant secret.

  The collagen in octopus skin turns to soft gelatin when hot. If you sear it straight from the boil, the skin will stick to the pan and shred. Chilling it firms the gelatin into a protective barrier that crisps beautifully.

• Never put pimentón over a direct flame.

  Smoked paprika retains high natural sugars. Blooming it over active heat will scorch it in seconds, turning the sauce acrid and metallic. Always pull the pan off the flame first.