Octopus with gigantes beans

Octopus with gigantes beans is an excellent meal for Lent and an excellent choice for every occasion throughout the year. All of your friends will enjoy this particular dish. We’ll use a clay cooking tray, and we’ll cook it -slowly of course- in the traditional wood-fired oven. Slow cooking is one of the secrets to success. Let’s see all these step-by-step.

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1.2 kg cleaned octopus
  • 800 g dry gigantes beans
  • 15 g salt (preferably fleur de sel)
  • 2 g black peppercorns
  • 5 whole allspice berries
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp mild mustard
  • 0.5 g Ceylon cinnamon
  • 1.5 tsp star anise
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • ½ bunch dill (leaves only)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 large onions

PREPARATION

Start by preparing the beans. Place the gigantes beans in a cooking pot, and let them soak in lukewarm water for at least 5-6 hours before cooking them. After soaking, add 1 tablespoon of mild mustard, and bring them to a boil over low heat. Place the octopus in another cooking pot. Add 1 cup of white wine, and bring to a simmer; the octopus will cook in its own juices. In the same pot, and while the octopus is simmering, add 1 teaspoon of honey, 2 bay leaves, and 5 allspice berries. Simmer over low heat until it softens.

When the beans are almost tender, strain them. Leave the octopus in the remaining liquid, though, once it’s done. Wait until it cools down a bit, and cut it into small pieces. Then, you should preheat the traditional wood-fired oven, because it takes time for it to reach the proper temperature. Meanwhile, place the octopus with its juice and the beans in a cooking tray – preferably a clay cooking tray. Blend the onions with a blender, and add them to the cooking tray along with the finely chopped dill, the star anise, and the extra virgin olive oil. Pour 1 cup of warm water into a small bowl, and stir in the tomato paste to dilute it. Add the salt, black pepper, and cinnamon. Pour the mixture over the octopus and the beans to cover them evenly. Lastly, sprinkle with sweet paprika. Fill the cooking tray halfway with water.

COOKED ON Traditional wood-fired oven

Traditional wood-fired oven

COOKING

After you have saturated the wood-fired oven, remove the embers with a shovel. Wait until the oven matures, and the temperature reaches 220-240⁰C (428-464⁰F). Then, place the clay cooking tray with the octopus inside the oven. Cook for 1.5 hours approximately, until the beans are tender and left with their oil. After removing the cooking tray from the oven, wait until the food cools down a bit. It’s served warm, and it’s accompanied by fine red wine. Enjoy it with your friends.

Happy grilling, everyone!

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