Cooking Octopus with San Sebastian Food

More tips from Chef Bendur Elizondo and Helen's notes: www.beyondsalmon.com/2015/07/cooking-octopus-with-… This video couldn't have happened without Jon Warren, the founder of San Sebastian Food, Chef Bendur Elizondo, our octopus cooking expert, and Jason Rennie (my husband) who was behind the camera. Thank you!!! Here are a few more tips from Bendur and notes from Helen. Freshness Although we were working with a frozen octopus, it was in pristine condition -- not a whiff of smell. Unfortunately, that rarely happens to me in Boston. Defrosting Put your frozen octopus on a tray (it will release a lot of water) and put in the fridge for 2 days. Don't defrost in warm water. Doneness This was the biggest revelation to me. I usually cook octopus way too long. This results in a very soft octopus, but one that sheds all its skin. Octopus is done when the texture inside is even (like testing a potato for doneness). But no, it shouldn't be as soft as potato. I am sure you want an explanation for what's in the pot, especially the copper coins and the cork. The cooking liquid for 5-9 Lb octopus: Water -- Bendur suggested a very large pot and a lot of water. We didn't measure it, but I am guessing it was at least 15 Liters (about 4 gallons). 1 bayleaf and 1/2 of a peeled onion -- these are for flavor No Salt -- octopus and many denizens of the ocean tend to have a high level of sodium. If salt is added to cooking liquid, it ends up being too salty. This is something I tested myself in my octopus cooking experiments and I agree. 1 cup of red wine -- Bendur said that red wine tenderizes the octopus. Cork from a bottle of red wine -- many cooks is Spain and Italy add the cork. Harold McGee says it doesn't do anything. I'd like to test that for myself. Copper coins (make sure to clean them first) -- Bendur said that the Galicia octopus was traditionally cooked in copper pots. Now that we don't have copper pots, we add a few copper coins. That's another theory I'd like to test.

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