Recipe of Nena Ismyrnoglou,
from "KATHIMERINI" newspaper (2009)
Ingredients (for 6-8 people)
For the octopus:
1,5Kg of octopus, cleaned
1,5Kg of octopus, cleaned
1 bay leaf
5 peppercorns
For the souvlakia:
1 small fennel bulb
1 unwaxed orange
90gr. of green olives, pitted (about 30 olives)
2 tbsp of olive oil
For the marinade:
1/3 tea-cup of olive oil
3 tbsp of red wine vinegar
2 tbsp of lemon juice
2 tbsp of orange juice
1 tbsp of fresh oregano leaves (or 1 tsp of dried)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
For the octopus
Place the octopus in an oven pan to fit exactly, having the tentacle suckers looking upwards. Add the bay leaf and the peppercorns and cover the pan tightly with a piece of aluminium foil.
Put in the oven and cook for 45 minutes without adding any water in the pan. Allow the octopus to cool enough so that you don’t burn your fingers, but while it is still warm, take hold of the skin at the ends of its tentacles and carefully pull upwards to remove the skin but without removing the suckers. Cut the octopus in 2cm pieces and place in a large bowl.
Cut the fennel bulb in half and then lengthwise into 1cm slices and dip into salted boiling water for 4 minutes, then immediately into ice-cold water and drain in a colander.
Cut the orange into four slices and then each slice into quarters.
Take 16 large wooden skewers and alternate a piece of octopus, a slice of fennel and an olive, continuing in that order until most of the skewer is covered. Finish with a piece of orange slice.
For the marinade and final cooking
Turn the oven to the grill function at the highest temperature.
Put all the marinade ingredients in a blender and whiz for a few seconds. Pour this mixture into a rectangular baking dish.
Place the skewers into the mixture, turning them so they are well coated on all sides. Leave aside to marinate for 30 minutes. Then strain and keep the marinade in a bowl to use when serving.
5 peppercorns
For the souvlakia:
1 small fennel bulb
1 unwaxed orange
90gr. of green olives, pitted (about 30 olives)
2 tbsp of olive oil
For the marinade:
1/3 tea-cup of olive oil
3 tbsp of red wine vinegar
2 tbsp of lemon juice
2 tbsp of orange juice
1 tbsp of fresh oregano leaves (or 1 tsp of dried)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
For the octopus
Place the octopus in an oven pan to fit exactly, having the tentacle suckers looking upwards. Add the bay leaf and the peppercorns and cover the pan tightly with a piece of aluminium foil.
Put in the oven and cook for 45 minutes without adding any water in the pan. Allow the octopus to cool enough so that you don’t burn your fingers, but while it is still warm, take hold of the skin at the ends of its tentacles and carefully pull upwards to remove the skin but without removing the suckers. Cut the octopus in 2cm pieces and place in a large bowl.
Cut the fennel bulb in half and then lengthwise into 1cm slices and dip into salted boiling water for 4 minutes, then immediately into ice-cold water and drain in a colander.
Cut the orange into four slices and then each slice into quarters.
Take 16 large wooden skewers and alternate a piece of octopus, a slice of fennel and an olive, continuing in that order until most of the skewer is covered. Finish with a piece of orange slice.
For the marinade and final cooking
Turn the oven to the grill function at the highest temperature.
Put all the marinade ingredients in a blender and whiz for a few seconds. Pour this mixture into a rectangular baking dish.
Place the skewers into the mixture, turning them so they are well coated on all sides. Leave aside to marinate for 30 minutes. Then strain and keep the marinade in a bowl to use when serving.
Brush the octopus skewers with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook under the oven's hot grill for about 3 minutes on each side.
Pour the marinade over them and serve immediately along with a green salad.
Pour the marinade over them and serve immediately along with a green salad.
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