# Octopus recipes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2006, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-recipes/369213 "2006-08-18T12:13:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-recipes/369213/1 "2006-08-18T12:13:44Z")
So we recently moved to Japan, and [this](http://www.rachelleb.com/images/2006_03_20/octopus.jpg) sort of thing is available in our local grocery store. (It pretty much looks just like that. I don’t know if there are other types of octopus available for consumption or not.) So, what would I do with it if I bought some? Complicated and/or spicy is fine. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-recipes/369213/2 "2006-08-18T14:39:16Z")
That’s already cooked or cured. Cut up and eat at room temperature as nibble with a glass of beer. It will be a firm, meaty texture. It’s packed with wasabi, but I wouldn’t bother. If you can get them raw, baby octopus is easiest to handle at home. Whole is fine, although the head section is a little squishy - you could cut it off and just go with the legs if you like the firm texture. Blanch them briefly if you like, then cook them on a dry surface for a couple of minutes until the edges start to colour. You can marinate them a little first if you like, or brush them while cooking. Sweet chilli sauce works well, as does olive oil and lemon. Cold with a little soy and rice vinegar is good too. ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-recipes/369213/3 "2006-08-18T14:57:52Z")
I have a fantastic recipe for pasta with baby octopus, red sauce, mint and a jalapeno pesto. It’s in one of my Mario Batali books at home. I’ll try to remember to post it later. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-recipes/369213/4 "2006-08-18T15:04:55Z")
**Renee** we are now enemies. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-recipes/369213/5 "2006-08-18T15:06:18Z")
Take one octopus, arrange between two slices of buttered bread. Apply mustard. Cut corner-to-corner. Complement with soup. Serves 87. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-recipes/369213/6 "2006-08-19T03:56:09Z")
[QUOTE=hawthorne] That’s already cooked or cured. Cut up and eat at room temperature as nibble with a glass of beer. It will be a firm, meaty texture. It’s packed with wasabi, but I wouldn’t bother. If you can get them raw, baby octopus is easiest to handle at home. Whole is fine, although the head section is a little squishy - you could cut it off and just go with the legs if you like the firm texture. Blanch them briefly if you like, then cook them on a dry surface for a couple of minutes until the edges start to colour. You can marinate them a little first if you like, or brush them while cooking. Sweet chilli sauce works well, as does olive oil and lemon. Cold with a little soy and rice vinegar is good too. [/QUOTE] How big is a baby octopus? (I have this picture in my head of me with a whole adult octopus on the kitchen table–daunting) At the sushi restaurant we frequent they offer tiny baby octopus (or squid, I can’t tell the difference) on rice. Can’t really say I enjoyed the sensation of putting the thing in my mouth whole. [QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] Renee we are now enemies. [/QUOTE] Yeah, sorry about that. If it makes you feel any better (probably not) I refuse to eat veal despite its deliciousness. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-recipes/369213/7 "2006-08-19T04:12:51Z")
Here you go, [octopus recipes](http://www.8legged.com/). Actually, the only time I had octopus was as part of an overall sashimi dish in some restaurant in NoVA. I just wish I knew where the heck we were, as I wouldn’t mind going back there sometime when I’m in the area. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-recipes/369213/8 "2006-08-19T14:58:00Z")
The only way I’ve ever had baby octopus is Italian-style; I can’t seem to find a recipe, but it was probably marinated first in olive oil, lemon juice and/or balsamic vinegar, then grilled. It was amazingly delicious, but sadly, I refuse to go back to the restaurant where I ate it because they were so incredibly rude to us.