Pan-seared octopus with thyme and turnip purée

Method

For the turnip purée

• 1

  Peel and coarse chop the turnips and potatoes. Heat a little Monocultivar Nocellara Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a saucepan, brown the potatoes for 1 minute, then add the turnips and cook for another couple of minutes on a high heat. Add some water and cook for about 20 minutes or until well-cooked.

• 2

  When cooked, remove any excess water, and blend the potatoes and turnips by adding some salt, a few grindings of black pepper and the Extra Virgin Olive Oil until you get a smooth and homogeneous purée. Taste the purée and add some salt and pepper if needed.

For the octopus

• 1

  Bring water to a boil and add some black peppercorns, the chopped onion, celery and carrot, some parsley stalks, some leek leaves, white wine and finally the octopus. Cook for about 35-40 minutes, or until the octopus is cooked.

• 2

  Once the octopus is cooked, drain and leave it to cool.

• 3

  Cut off the octopus tentacles, season with a pinch of salt and the Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

• 4

  Put the poached garlic clove in a pan with a little oil and a couple of sprigs of thyme to give some fragrance. Then, sear quickly the tentacles until they become crispy.

 

Food plating

Place the ingredients on the plate: use the turnip purée as a base, then add the crispy octopus tentacles, a few fresh thyme leaves, and a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil on top.