It was Maria’s birthday party last night, and she laid on some fantastic food for us. There was Spanish omelette, there was cake, but it was the octopus that starred as the pièce de résistance. Quite literally.
I’d had several exasperated messages from Maria that morning about the beast’s recalcitrance to be turned into a meal. It was by far the biggest she’d ever wrestled with, apparently.
I think I’d cry if someone served that up to me 😉
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Me too. With happiness 🙂
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Not what I had in mind 😉
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Just close your eyes and pretend it’s pork, and a teensy bit on the chewy side.
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Pork doesn’t have tentacles – my imagination isn’t that good 😉
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Just extrapolate from the curly tail.
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Octopus, when done right, shouldn’t be chewy at all. That’s why I love it so much more than squid. We had some a week ago at a new restaurant downtown, and it was melt-in-your-mouth amazing! Happy birthday to Maria! p.s. Why is she cooking on her bday??
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Well, actually, this one was very tender 🙂 Well done Maria!
She likes cooking. Weird, I know! But I’m not gonna talk her out of it.
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Don’t! When someone enjoys cooking and does it well, do not say anything to dissuade them!
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In all honesty I have never even tried it, only heard about the experiences of others.
So…How do you ever get it done right? What is the process for non chewy Octopi?
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Don’t ask me… ask Maria 😉 Once it’s just a smidgen overcooked, it goes all rubbery. And it happens in a flash. I’m not ever going to try my hand at that, this much I know!
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OH! I always imagined it was under cooking that did it. Amazing!
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Oh I don’t cook it (wouldn’t even know where to start!) – but I’ve tasted it awful, hard and chewy and then tender as butter. I’ve heard the trick is to not overcook it – which makes it very chewy. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
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I have never seen and octopus that big out of the water tank at the marine aquarium! Those I have seen out of the water, and in the fish market, were small enough to fit into my hand. We used them in the classroom to study them up close and then threw them away! What else would you do with them? 😉
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Fry them! Grill them! Drizzle them with olive oil and toss garlic on them! Oh, the possibilities… as long as someone else does it, of course ;-0
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I will have to give this a think, and then see if I can even locate one here in the middle of Jeeterville…
Er, I mean the Deep South. 😉
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Why not experiment? If it bombs, the cat will still love it 🙂
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So true! But, still have to locate a Kracken in the desert of non fresh sea food. 🙂
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I think Maria bought hers frozen. We’re right in the centre of Spain, rather than at the coast, so it’s quite a challenge to get seafood that was caught that very morning.
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When I say non fresh, I mean really not fresh. When you get to the seafood in the market you don’t want the smell to be the first thing you notice. I don’t eat fish anymore unless it comes from a can. Sad, yes?
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You could…. install a carp pond on the farmlet 🙂
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The Mountain Farmlet has a very large pond with catfish in it… but I don’t think it will support Kraken. LOL!
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It might support one… but not at the same time as catfish 😉
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OH. It’s Kraken not KraCken 😛
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I know my first reaction should be “ewwww” but instead it’s “Where’s my plate!”
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You’re one of my tribe 🙂
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Sorry, sorry, pass the sick bucket…..
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I knew I’d get that from you. Which is why I’ve got one ready. Catch!
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Caught! Blurrrppp…..
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Where’s my plate…it looks fab! Well done Maria….
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She’s a star 🙂 …but, unfortunately for you, we ate it all!
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Oh, rats! 😀
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No. Just no. Thank you.
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Wimp! 😉
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That octopus looks terrifying! I hate eating tentacally things – I’m always afraid the sucker thingies are going to stick to my throat. And honestly I’m not that keen on seafood at the best of times. Not sure if I’ve tried octpus, but I know I’ve had squid and didn’t like it AT ALL!
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OK… tinned tuna it is for you. And cake 🙂
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I’ll eat fresh tuna too 😀 I will eat some fish, it’s other sea-dwelling creatures that bother me.
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Am having fresh tuna tomorrow night (again!). Can’t wait!
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I’ve had it cooked butter-soft which is good – but have more often eaten it chewy. Raw actually. Octopus is SO prized in Chuuk where we used to live that it was rare to receive one with all 8 arms. Usually an arm or two would be eaten by the fishermen with sea water before the creature reached shore. While still raw, there is a sweetness in the flesh that is impossible to duplicate. I don’t think I’d try that with frozen octopus, though.
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If I lived by the sea shore, and it was guaranteed to be fresh, I’d love to try it raw 🙂
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That octopus looks like the teacher puppet in Pink Floyd’s The Wall, just tastier.
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I’ve had to google that, and – LOL! – it so does!!!
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Oh my. Some things just make me really glad to be a vegetarian!
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Aw, food is such a joy…!
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The Kraken Bakes!
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Um…ew?
I prefer my Kraken by the way of Pirates of the Caribbean, which is to say, less Kraken and more Orlando Bloom 🙂
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Orblando Bland? I can’t see it,I really can’t. The kraken has more sex appeal!
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OMG YOU DIDNT
WE ARE SO OVER
>.<
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And I still don’t know who Justin is…
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The first picture is scary! But the last one looks good 🙂
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That’s precisely why I only got involved in the final step of the proceedings 😉
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Thanks but no thanks. Where’s the cake???
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On my hips. Not only did I eat my own piece, but I also scoffed two half-eaten ones that were (seemingly) abandoned.
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Better keep away from the sea. Chthulu is plotting his revenge.
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I’m safe… his tentacles won’t reach me here, and neither in my Bavarian summer residence.
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Ooooh, a little marinara sauce and let’s eat! Yummm! ♥♥♥ ;^)
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That one didn’t get any sauce, and it was still pretty good 🙂
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One of my favorite foods ever!
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I’m glad there’s someone in my camp!
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Ah love “polpo” it’s one of my favorite dishes … and with steamed potatoes, parsley, olive oil and lemon … ah it’s heaven!
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Oh good. Another octopus aficionado. We need the numbers! 🙂
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Yeah! I do so agree … or maybe not, wouldn’t want the price to go through the roof 😉
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Wait a minute… if it was Maria’s birthday, why was she doing the wrestling? 🙂
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She likes it 🙂
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Ummm – I think I’d pass. There are just some things I can’t get past, no matter how tender people claim it is – octopus is at the top of the list
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That’s OK – MORE FOR ME 🙂
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A win-win! Let’s do lunch and fight over cupcakes 🙂
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First you won’t eat your dinner, and now you want cupcakes…?!
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Is that wrong?
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Did you mother teach you nothing?!
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On second thoughts… no, of course not 😉
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Most excellent!!!! 🙂
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