Octopus Sashimi with Black Lemon, Aleppo Pepper, Capers, Olive oil with green tea and pumpkin seed, and Japanese fleur de sel.

Serves 4 to 6

Preparation: one day in advance

Dressing the plate: 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

• A cooked octopus (instructions below)
• 1 whole fresh lemon (immerse for 15 seconds in boiling water, then pat dry and cool)
• 1 black lemon*
• Long peppercorns (Piper longum)
• Fleur de sel (preferably Japanese)
• Aleppo pepper
• A green shallot, finely chopped
• Wild capers (preferably Ox-Eye Daisy Capers, or any good quality capers)
• Marinated spruce tips (optional)
• Olive oil infused with green tea*
• Organic pumpkin seed oil
• 1 Demitasse spoon of fine salt
• 1 Demitasse spoon of white and pink peppercorn, ground very finely in a mortar.
• Food-safe plastic wrap (Saran Wrap)
• Micro food grater

PREPARATION

As soon as your octopus has cooled, in a large bowl put the fine salt, cracked peppers and a pinch of Aleppo pepper. Mix well and roll the whole octopus on all sides (inside and outside). Gather the octopus' tentacles into a sausage shape, then roll it tightly in food-safe plastic wrap, then place it in the fridge for 24 hours.

WHEN YOU’RE READY TO SERVE

Transfer the octopus from the refrigerator to the freezer for two hours. Remove the octopus from the freezer, unroll the food-grade plastic. The octopus should form a single, compact, rigid sausage shape. On a cutting board using a fillet knife (Sushi knife style) first cut the body of the octopus at the base of the tentacles, then cut the sausage very finely to form rosettes. Place the rosettes on the plated on a flower shaped. Lightly grate the whole plate with the black lemon and long peppercorns, sprinkle with Aleppo pepper, fleur de sel, then grate a small amount of the lemon peel on the rosettes. In a circular fashion, pour a drizzle of green tea oil all around the plate, starting by the center. Do the same with the sunflower oil, but in small, well-dispersed drops. Place a few pieces of green shallots, and a light squeeze of lemon. (Optional: place in the center a head of marinated spruce tips.) Serve.

WINES TO MATCH:

• Hermann J. Weimer Vineyard, Riesling Estate Extra Brut, Seneca Lake, Finger lakes, NY
• Sharpe Hill Vineyard, Ballet of Angels NV, Pomfret, CT
• Westport Rivers Winery, Muscat Ottonel 2022, Estate Grown, Southeastern New England, Westport, MA
• Long Shadows Vintners, "Poet's Leap" Riesling 2022, Gamache Vineyard, Columbia Valley, WA

COOKING THE OCTOPUS LIKE A PRO

Option One:

• 1 Octopus (2 to 4 pounds) defrosted from frozen (important*)
• 2 Bay leaves (Preferable fresh)
• 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Dutch oven 5-qt

* If your octopus is frozen, let it thaw on a plate for 48 hours in your refrigerator.

Rinse your octopus with cold water and place it on a paper towel. In your Dutch oven, place two bay leaves and drizzle with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Place your octopus (head at the top with the tentacles wide open) on the bay leaves. Tightly close the lid tightly and deposit your Dutch oven on a low heat flame. Cook the octopus 1/2 hour per pound. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and let the octopus cool completely (lid open) before rinsing well and putting it in the cold. Be sure to remove all the red skin as well as all the suckers.

Option Two:

• 1 octopus (2 to 4 pounds) defrosted from frozen (important, see above*)
• 1 carrot
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 medium-sized white onion
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 bouquet garni
• Coarse salt and whole pepper
• 1 Dutch oven 5-qt

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Fill the Dutch oven 2/3 full with cold water and add all the coarsely chopped vegetables and the bouquet garni, and season with salt and pepper. Heat until the water starts to simmer. Add the octopus with the tentacles wide open. Close the lid, turn to medium heat (slightly bubbling) and cook for 75 to 90 minutes.  Test with a knife if the tentacles are tender. Remove the octopus from the broth and let it cool.

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR OILS

Because it is rare and expensive to find infused and fresh olive oils on the market, I suggest you make your own flavored oil for this recipe.

The method and recipes are simple to follow.

THE METHOD:

Hot Brew Olive Oil: This method involves infusing the ingredient of your choice in an oil heated to 140°F (60°C) for a few minutes. You put the product of your choice in it, let it infuse for about an hour, filter, then bottle. This method lends itself particularly well to dry herbs, and seeds.

PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE:

The method I'm sharing with you today is made for a short shelf life (a few days maximum in the refrigerator), prepare small quantities so to avoid throwing them away.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR OIL AND INGREDIENTS:

The choice of olive oil is very important. You should choose a quality extra virgin olive oil. Don't choose an oil that is too aromatic or powerful in taste. I personally use the Lebanese oil of "Olive Harvest" for its quality, its finesse, and its great neutrality.

MY RECIPES

OLIVE OIL WITH GREEN TEA

With their delicate floral scents, subtle notes of fresh herbs, marine accents, green teas should be consumed fresh. You can find an organic green tea in leaf and loose at your natural product store or in a specialty store.

THE PROCESS:

In a saucepan heat 4 oz of olive oil over low heat until the oil reaches 140 °F (60 °C), remove from the heat and add 1/2 oz of green tea leaf. Let infused for 30 minutes. Strain your oil and transfer it to a pre-sterilized glass container*, let cool completely, close with a tight-fitting lid and place in the refrigerator.

*To sterilize a glass jar, drown the jar in a saucepan of cold water and gradually bring to a boil. Boil at a low boil for 10 minutes. With kitchen tongs, place the jar upside down on a rack. Leave the jar dried for 10 minutes before using.

For virgin pumpkin seed oil, I recommend buying a quality and organic one.

BLACK LEMON "Limoo"

Dried black lemon exudes citrus flavors and fruity notes. In addition, it is less acidic than a classic lemon with a slight smoky taste. Its big advantage is that it does not take precedence over the dish, its taste is subtle.

You can buy your black lemon in a shop specializing in fine spices or in a shop selling Persian or Middle Eastern products. But if you decide to do it yourself, here is my recipe:

THE PROCESS:

Dried black lime is made from organic, high-quality Key limes. First, immerse the key limes in boiling salt water for a few minutes (4 to 6 minutes, depending on the size). Then, plunge them into a large bowl of very cold water with ice cubes. Let the limes cool for about 10 minutes, then let them rest on an absorbent towel to dry them out well.

Put the lemons in a dehydrator, or in a rice cooker, until the lemon is completely dry and black. Place the Key limes on a sheet of paper towels, place another on top of the lemons, cover the rice cooker with aluminum foil, place the lid of the rice cooker on top and cover the whole thing with a plastic film like Saran wrap so that everything is airtight. Plug in the rice cooker and leave it on the "warm" position for 7 days. As a result, they have turned into a dried black lemon.