Octopus with Greek fava, Greek fava with octopus. Separately, two very common dishes in Greek taverns. But both together in the same recipe? It was enough for me to try it just once to understand that it’s a very tasty combination that pairs perfectly.
Ingredients:
For the octopus:
1 thawed octopus
Optionally to flavor the broth:
Onion, garlic, bay leaf, etc.
For the Greek fava:
1 large cup of yellow fava
1 onion
1 carrot
1-2 cloves of garlic
Vegetable or chicken broth
Extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt
To garnish, according to preference:
Caramelized onion, dried tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, capers, olives
How to prepare the octopus:
Octopus can be boiled or stewed. For more details and secrets about both options, check out the recipes for Galician octopus or Mediterranean octopus stew.
The easiest method for this recipe is to boil unsalted water in a saucepan. Hold the octopus by the head and briefly dip the tentacles three times. Then submerge it completely and boil over moderate heat for 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the octopus. To check if it’s ready, prick it with a fork, the meat should be tender. Remember that it is better to leave it slightly al dente rather than overcooked. When the octopus is ready, remove it from the pan and cut with scissors, separating the head from the tentacles.
Meanwhile, once the octopus has started to boil, prepare the fava:
Immerse the fava in boiling water, this way we take the opportunity to clean it, at the same time we speed up its cooking. Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a pot and sauté the onion, carrot and garlic cloves for a few minutes. Strain the fava, add it to the pot and cover with enough broth. Cook for 30-40 minutes. When it is tender, blend with a mixer until you get a smooth and homogeneous puree. Add salt to taste and season with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.
Serving:
Serve a portion of fava puree and place 1 or 2 octopus tentacles on top. Garnish with caramelized onion, roasted cherry tomatoes or sundried tomatoes, capers and/or black olives.
Tips and tricks:
- It’s worth consulting the links above provided for more details about the preparation of the octopus. One of the most important details is to use a thawed octopus, since this way the meat softens noticeably for cooking.
- You can use the broth resulting from cooking the octopus for other recipes, such as this delicious rice with octopus.