Pulpo al Olivo

Pulpo al Olivo (Peruvian Octopus in Olive Sauce)

A classic cold Peruvian appetizer of tender boiled octopus draped in a creamy, briny purple-black sauce made from botija olives, oil and mayonnaise, served with boiled potato.

Prep

30 min

Cook

60 min

Total

90 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1 kg whole octopus (approx.) (2¼ lb whole octopus (approx.)) whole octopus, fresh or thawed frozen; ask your fishmonger to clean it if preferred
• •1 large onion, quartered, for the cooking broth
• •4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• •1 sprig fresh parsley or cilantro stems, or a bay leaf
• •200 g (7 oz) botija olives, pitted; if unavailable, use Kalamata olives (about 150 g / 5 oz pitted) as the closest substitute
• •80 ml (⅓ cup) mayonnaise, full-fat
• •60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) lime juice, about 1–2 limes, to taste
• •1 tsp ají amarillo paste, or a small fresh chili, seeded and chopped; adjust to taste
• •2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, plus more to taste
• •600 g (1⅓ lb) boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold; peeled, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) slices, for serving
• •1 pinch salt, for the potatoes and final seasoning

Steps

1. 1 Fill a large pot with about 4 litres (1 gallon) of cold water. Add the onion, garlic, parsley or bay leaf and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
2. 2 Holding the octopus by the head, dip it into the boiling water three times, letting the tentacles curl each time, then lower it in completely. This traditional step helps the skin set and keeps the octopus tender.
3. 3 Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer (small bubbles, not a rolling boil). Cook uncovered for 45–60 minutes, until a knife or skewer slides easily into the thickest part of the tentacle with no resistance. The octopus is done when it is tender throughout; if it is still tough at 60 minutes, continue simmering in 10-minute intervals until tender.
4. 4 Remove the octopus from the pot and let it cool in its cooking liquid for 15 minutes, then transfer to a plate, pat dry and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 1 hour (or up to overnight).
5. 5 For the sauce: in a blender or food processor, combine the botija olives, mayonnaise, olive oil, lime juice, ají amarillo paste and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and adjust lime, pepper or chili. The sauce should be salty, briny and lightly spicy; thin with a teaspoon of water or olive oil if it is too thick to coat.
6. 6 Slice the cold octopus thinly (about 5 mm / ¼ inch), cutting across the tentacles on a slight bias. Arrange the slices on a serving platter in a single layer.
7. 7 Spoon the olive sauce generously over the octopus, covering it completely. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and finish with a crack of black pepper.
8. 8 Meanwhile, boil the potato slices in salted water until just tender when pierced with a knife, 10–12 minutes. Drain and let cool to room temperature.
9. 9 Serve the pulpo al olivo chilled or at cool room temperature, with the boiled potato slices on the side to scoop up the sauce.