and even after an extra hour of gentle simmering it was still too chewy for me. I did what I was told--bought small octopi and froze them first for tenderness. I cut them into bite-size pieces (wincing with each cut--those tentacles freak me out!) The sauce reduced nicely and was very good.
This was an occasion to drink my friend's Domaine Tempier Bandol which he had been saving. I had offered to cook dishes from Olney's book of recipes from that very winery. This is supposed to be proprietress Lulu's signature dish, which she serves with aioli as a starter or as part of a Grand Aioli with other seafoods.
My friends liked it anyway. I had tasted it for tenderness so many times that I'd lost interest by the time it was served. Jacques had had one gristly bite early on and that psyched him out completely, so he just ate aioli and bread.
STEWED OCTOPUS
From Lulu's Provencal Table by Richard Olney
The star preparation of Lulu's Grand Aïoli is the stewed octopus, a dish that arouses passions, not only in the Peyraud family but in all who have tasted it--when the octopus sauce and aïoli meet, flavors explode.
5 tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
salt
2 or 3 small octopus (3 lbs) cleaned, frozen, defrosted in the regrigerator, and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp marc de Provence or Cognac
1/2 cup acidic white wine
Aioli, for serving
In a large frying pan, warm 3 tbsp olive oil, add the onion and garlic, and cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until soft and golden but not browned. Turn up the heat, add the tomatoes and salt, and sauté, tossing regularly, until the tomato liquid has evaporated.
At the same time, in a large earthenware poêlon or heavy sauté pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil, add the octopus, salt, and bay leaf, stir with a wooden spoon, and shake the pan regularly until any liquid thrown off by the octopus has come to a full boil. Add the brandy, ignite it, and stir until the flames die. Bring the white wine to a boil in a small saucepan and add it. Boil for a few minutes, stirring, to partially reduce it and ride the wine of its alcohol and stir in the sautéed onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Bring back to a boil and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, uncovered, stirring regularly, for about 50 minutes, or until the octopus is tender. If preparing the stew ahead, leave to cool uncovered and reheat over very low heat, stirring all the while. If prepared the previous day, cool uncovered and refrigerate covered before reheating, uncovered.
Serve with aioli.
This was an occasion to drink my friend's Domaine Tempier Bandol which he had been saving. I had offered to cook dishes from Olney's book of recipes from that very winery. This is supposed to be proprietress Lulu's signature dish, which she serves with aioli as a starter or as part of a Grand Aioli with other seafoods.
My friends liked it anyway. I had tasted it for tenderness so many times that I'd lost interest by the time it was served. Jacques had had one gristly bite early on and that psyched him out completely, so he just ate aioli and bread.
STEWED OCTOPUS
From Lulu's Provencal Table by Richard Olney
The star preparation of Lulu's Grand Aïoli is the stewed octopus, a dish that arouses passions, not only in the Peyraud family but in all who have tasted it--when the octopus sauce and aïoli meet, flavors explode.
5 tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
salt
2 or 3 small octopus (3 lbs) cleaned, frozen, defrosted in the regrigerator, and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp marc de Provence or Cognac
1/2 cup acidic white wine
Aioli, for serving
In a large frying pan, warm 3 tbsp olive oil, add the onion and garlic, and cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until soft and golden but not browned. Turn up the heat, add the tomatoes and salt, and sauté, tossing regularly, until the tomato liquid has evaporated.
At the same time, in a large earthenware poêlon or heavy sauté pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil, add the octopus, salt, and bay leaf, stir with a wooden spoon, and shake the pan regularly until any liquid thrown off by the octopus has come to a full boil. Add the brandy, ignite it, and stir until the flames die. Bring the white wine to a boil in a small saucepan and add it. Boil for a few minutes, stirring, to partially reduce it and ride the wine of its alcohol and stir in the sautéed onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Bring back to a boil and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, uncovered, stirring regularly, for about 50 minutes, or until the octopus is tender. If preparing the stew ahead, leave to cool uncovered and reheat over very low heat, stirring all the while. If prepared the previous day, cool uncovered and refrigerate covered before reheating, uncovered.
Serve with aioli.