Ingredients
| OCTOPUS | |
| 800g octopus tentacles (cleaned) | |
| 20ml red wine vinegar | |
| 5g peppercorns | |
| 30ml olive oil | |
| ½ shallot, sliced | |
| 3 cloves garlic, crushed | |
| 15g salt | |
| 1 bay leaf | |
| 2–3 lemon slices | |
| lemon juice, to taste | |
| POTATOES | |
| 500g potatoes, whole, skin on (a waxy variety is best) | |
| olive oil, for drizzling | |
| 100g salted butter | |
| 3 teaspoons paprika | |
| lemon zest, to finish | |
| ROMESCO WITH FETA | |
| 2 red capsicums | |
| 2 ripe tomatoes | |
| olive oil, to drizzle | |
| 100g blanched almonds | |
| 100g blanched hazelnuts | |
| 100g sourdough bread, torn into chunks | |
| 3 cloves garlic | |
| 1 shallot, chopped | |
| 2 sundried tomatoes | |
| 10g paprika, or to taste | |
| 15g honey | |
| sherry vinegar, to taste | |
| 100g feta | |
| lemon zest | |
| HERB DRESSING | |
| 20g basil, leaves picked | |
| 10g mint, leaves picked | |
| 10g fresh oregano, leaves picked | |
| 30ml red wine vinegar | |
| 28g sugar | |
| 60g neutral oil or light olive oil | |
| CRISPY CUPS | |
| 1 x 330g packet spring roll wrappers (about 20 wrappers) |
We’ve shared a simplified version of Rikayla’s winning snack here for you to make at home. We think she has summed up the importance of this magical event perfectly when she says, “This competition showed me that, even at 18, my ideas matter. My voice matters. And my food has a place at the table.”
Instructions
| 1. | There are a few options to cook the octopus before grilling it to serve. |
| 2. | TO COOK ON THE STOVETOP: Put the octopus into a heavy pot with all the ingredients except the lemon juice and add enough water to cover. |
| 3. | Bring to a simmer (75℃-80℃ if you have a thermometer) and simmer on the lowest possible heat, lid on, for about 4-5 hours, checking the water temperature occasionally. |
| 4. | TO COOK IN THE OVEN: Heat the oven to 80°C. |
| 5. | Put the octopus into a heavy pot with the all the ingredients except the lemon juice and add enough water to cover. |
| 6. | Bring to a simmer (75℃-80℃ if you have a thermometer), cover the pot and cook in the oven for 4-5 hours. |
| 7. | TO STEAM: Note: for this method you don’t use the vinegar, peppercorns or olive oil. |
| 8. | It’s recommended to freeze and thaw the octopus beforehand – this helps break down muscle fibres naturally and makes it more tender. |
| 9. | Rub the octopus with a little salt. |
| 10. | Line the bottom of the steamer basket with the aromatics (shallot, garlic, bay leaf, lemon slices) for a subtle flavour infusion. |
| 11. | Put the octopus on top of the aromatics. |
| 12. | Bring the water in the steamer pot to a good simmer (90°C-95°C if you have a thermometer) but not a rolling boil. |
| 13. | Put the steamer basket above the water, cover tightly with a lid and steam for 1½-2½ hours, depending on the size of the octopus and the texture you’re aiming for. |
| 14. | To check for doneness, insert a knife or skewer into the thickest part of a tentacle – it should go in with minimal resistance and the meat should be tender but not mushy. |
| 15. | Before serving, grill the octopus to get a light char, then dice into small pieces. |
| 16. | Dress with the herb dressing and season with salt and lemon juice to taste. |
| 17. | POTATOES |
| 18. | Steam the potatoes until just tender but still firm. |
| 19. | While warm, drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt. Cool completely in the fridge. |
| 20. | Once chilled, you can peel the skins off if you prefer. |
| 21. | Dice the potatoes into small, even cubes. |
| 22. | In a pan, brown the butter gently over a medium heat until it smells nutty. |
| 23. | Add the paprika and stir through, then add the diced potatoes. |
| 24. | Pan-fry lightly until the potatoes are golden on the edges but still tender. |
| 25. | Gently toss in the lemon zest and set aside until ready to assemble. |
| 26. | ROMESCO WITH FETA |
| 27. | Roast the capsicums with a drizzle of oil at 160℃ for 30 minutes or until soft. |
| 28. | Grill the tomatoes with a little olive oil and salt until blistered and soft. |
| 29. | Put the roasted veges into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to steam for 30 minutes. |
| 30. | Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. |
| 31. | Toss the almonds, hazelnuts and bread in a little olive oil with a pinch of salt and roast at at 160℃ until golden, about 20 minutes. |
| 32. | In a saucepan, sauté the garlic, shallot and sundried tomatoes with a little oil until soft. |
| 33. | Add the roasted capsicums, tomatoes, roasted nuts, bread, paprika and honey. Stir and simmer gently for 5 minutes. |
| 34. | Blend the mixture until smooth. Add the sherry vinegar and season lightly with salt. |
| 35. | Let the mixture cool completely, then blend again with the feta and lemon zest to a creamy texture. |
| 36. | Adjust seasoning to taste. Transfer to a piping bag for assembling |
| 37. | HERB DRESSING |
| 38. | Combine all ingredients in a blender, blending quickly to avoid discolouration. Refrigerate immediately. |
| 39. | TIP: To retain the vibrant green colour, if the dressing is warm after blending, put it into a bowl set over an ice bath. |
| 40. | CRISPY CUPS |
| 41. | Heat the oven to 180℃. |
| 42. | Cut the wrappers into squares or rounds that will fit mini tart tins. |
| 43. | Layer two sheets into each tart tin and bake with a weight on top for 25 minutes. |
| 44. | Cool before filling. |
| 45. | Alternatively you could use mini filo cups (usually in the freezer section at the supermarket). |
| 46. | TO SERVE |
| 47. | Warm the potatoes and octopus gently before serving. |
| 48. | Fill each cup halfway with the potato mix. |
| 49. | Top with dressed grilled octopus. |
| 50. | Pipe a small dollop of romesco with feta on top. |
| 51. | Dust lightly with extra paprika for presentation. |
Erin Cave from Ilk Photography