Octopus & ‘Nduja Salad

Chef Rob Gentile brings a fun new dish to Chefdrop. Featuring grilled octopus, spicy ‘nduja, and Riso Venere, a rich and nutty black rice native to Italy, with vibrant herbs and a zingy Red Wine Lemon Vinaigrette, this Octopus and ‘Nduja Salad is the perfect balance of smoke, spice, and umami. Liven up any dinner spread with this luxurious entree salad inspired by Italy’s land and sea.

• 1pc Octopus
• 1 bulb Roasted Garlic
• 50g ‘Nduja
• 130g Cracked Green Olives
• 100mL Red Wine Vinaigrette Lemon Dressing
• 3 sprigs Mint
• 4 springs Parsley
• 2pcs Scallions
• 2 tbsp Capers
• 500g Riso Venere

Allergens: Garlic, Onions, Pork

Make sure you’ve got a Large Pot, a Strainer, a Grill or Cast Iron/Non-Stick Pan, a Spray Bottle with Water, a Rag or Paper Towels, Tongs, a Grill Brush, a Serving Bowl, a Medium Sized Mixing Bowl, a Cutting Board, and a Serving Platter. It’s also ideal to have a few staples on hand like Olive Oil, Kosher Salt or Sea Salt, and Pepper. Now, let’s get cooking!

This recipe can be prepared with two different methods. You may choose to grill your Octopus or pan-sear the Octopus. Please be sure to follow the appropriate preparation instructions based on the cooking method of your choosing.

If using the grill method, turn your grill on high heat and leave to preheat for at least 20 minutes. If using a charcoal grill, allow to preheat with venting at 50% open for 30 minutes or until it reaches 500°F.

Turn on your stove to high heat. Fill a large pot with 2.5L of water and bring to a boil.

Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add the Riso Venere and boil until fork tender and cooked through, about 22-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking at the bottom of the pot.

In the last 5 minutes of the Rice cooking time, lightly salt the Rice water with Kosher Salt.

Once the Riso Venere is cooked to your desired consistency, strain the Rice and set aside while you prepare the Octopus.

GRILL METHOD

Pat down the Octopus with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper, and rub with a small amount of olive oil before grilling.

Once the grill is hot, give it a good brush to remove anything that may be stuck to the grill. Using a rag or paper towel, rub the grill with some oil. Reduce the heat to medium and place the seasoned Octopus on the grill.

After 3-5 minutes, rotate or turn the Octopus 90 degrees (do not flip). This will give you a nice cross hatch. Make sure to spray the grill with water anytime you get a flame flare up to prevent any charring.

After about 3-5 minutes, flip your Octopus and let it grill for another 3-5 minutes before rotating it 90 degrees to create the same crosshatch pattern.

Once brown and crispy on all sides, remove from the grill and place on a cutting board. Slice Octopus into 1” pieces at an angle and set aside.

Chef’s Tip: The Octopus comes already fully cooked so what you want to achieve is a golden brown colour and crispy tentacles.

PAN-SEAR METHOD

Heat a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium high heat.

Pat down the Octopus with a paper towel and season with salt, pepper, and rub with a small amount of olive oil before searing.

Reduce the heat to medium and place the seasoned Octopus in the pan. After about 3-5 minutes, flip your Octopus to brown the other side. Once crispy on all sides, slice Octopus into 1” pieces at an angle and set aside.

Chef’s Tip: The Octopus comes already fully cooked so what you want to achieve is a golden brown colour and crispy tentacles.

SALAD PREPARATION

On the same cutting board, chop the two bulbs of Scallions into thin wheels.

In a large mixing bowl, combine squeezed out Roasted Garlic Cloves, ‘Nduja, and Red Wine Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing. Smash up Garlic Cloves and ‘Nduja with a spoon until smooth and combined. Toss in the sliced Octopus.

Add the Cracked Green Olives, Mint, Parsley, Scallion, Capers, and Riso Venere. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss well.

That’s it! Buon Appetito!