- Octopus is a low calorie, lean seafood, making it a good way to get protein in your diet without adding too much fat. There are approximately 140 calories per 3 oz. of octopus, with only 1.8g of fat.
- Octopus is a very good source of iron, and also serves up calcium, potassium, vitamins C, A, and B .
- Octopus is a great way to increase your intake of Omega 3 fatty acids which have numerous health benefits. Their anti-inflammatory benefits include preventing diseases such as bronchitis and Alzheimer’s as well as enhancing brain development in children. Yes, it just might make you smarter!
- Octopus contains taurine which is an organic acid that acts as an antioxidant. Taurine has been shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels and may help macular degeneration.
- Octopus is on the “best choices” list of sustainable seafood, so you can feel good about purchasing it.
- Octopus is seen as exotic in the United States, so rarely will you hear your dinner companion complain with disappointment, “Oh, I just had octopus for lunch.”
- Octopus has been shown to decrease depression. In some studies it has been shown that eating octopus just might make you happier!
- Octopus is easy! It is one of the few seafood items that benefit from being frozen. It is an old Portuguese fishermen’s secret to freeze even fresh octopus before preparing, since this tenderizes the meat. So the cleaned frozen octopus you buy is ready to defrost and enjoy. Try your local Asian market for frozen prepared octopus or order online. Here’s a link to get you started if you can’t find it in your area. http://www.freshseafood.com/fresh-octopus-383.html.
- Octopus affordable! You can find octopus online for about $8-10 a pound. There is very little waste in octopus you purchase and is a real value over other fish. When served as a salad like we show here you can feed 12 people for about $2 a person in octopus. Gourmet on the cheap. But do use your defrosted octopus quickly as it doesn’t store long. Here’s a quick guide on how to cook your octopus before grilling or using in another recipe. http://goodfishbadfish.com.au/?recipe=how-to-cook-octopus
- Octopus is delicious and mild in flavor– the best reason of all to get over the unfamiliar appearance and give it a try. Discover what the people of Greece, Portugal, Italy and Japan have known for centuries. It’s really good!
Here’s some inspiration from Chef Chris Hall from Local Three in Atlanta, GA.
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- Chris Hall gets friendly with the octopus he’ll be grilling on the EVO
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- Serving up Warm Octopus Salad
Chris grilled up a warm salad featuring sliced grilled octopus, greens, lentils, and a tomato vinaigrette.
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- Lentils cooking on grill
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- Seasoning Octopus for the grill
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- Searing Octopus for Salad
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- Red Onions add a bit of bite and color to the salad
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- Perfectly Grilled Octopus
An uncertain crowd were easily won over with one taste of his tender octopus combined with earthy lentils and the punch of vinaigrette and bitter greens. Be fearless. Be exotic. Grill some soon!
Chopping the Octopus for the salad to create small white disks ringed in spicy char
Chris grilled this delicious octopus on the flat top EVO grill for a quick intense sear, but you can adjust to use whatever grill you have at home. For more ideas on how to serve up an Asian or Italian inspired grilled octopus salad click on http://goodfishbadfish.com.au/?recipe=pickled-octopus and http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/grilled-octopus-with-celery-and-cannellini-bean-salad-recipe.html.
Once you learn how easy, healthy, and delicious octopus can be, you will want to serve it again!
The finished salad is bright, smoky, and a great mix of textures.
