Optimal octopus

Octopus was favorite dish at Massachusetts restaurant

It’s not easy to cook, but it’s worth the trouble.

While working in a restaurant kitchen is never easy, it can be inspiring. I spent several months last summer working at Strangers & Saints in Provincetown, Mass., helping launch a new restaurant for partners Steven and Fred Latasa-Nicks.

I’ve known Fred for more than 20 years, since we met while students at the Culinary Institute of America. Although I’ve remained in and around the food business in one form or another since we graduated, Fred’s career took a different path, one that ultimately led him back to his passion. It was very rewarding to witness his dream of many years come to life.

There are several things on the Strangers & Saints menu I shall crave: The ham and cheese croquettes are an indulgent combination of thickly reduced bechamel, sharp cheddar cheese and jamon that are panko-crusted and deep fried to crispy-oozy perfection. The burrata is served on a plank of watermelon, topped with toasted pistachio nuts, honey, extra virgin-olive oil, blueberries, mint and coarse salt.

Yet, the item I will crave most is the curried octopus. Before being broiled to order, the octopus is marinated in ras el hanout, a North African spice blend, with chile flakes, maple syrup and olive oil. It’s then served over a bed of chickpea mash that is flavored with orange juice and cilantro. It’s awesome.

Making this dish is no easy feat. It can be a two-day affair, and it’s worth every single second. Whole octopuses are first blanched and then slowly braised in a low-temperature oven in white wine, fennel, onions, carrots, garlic, crushed red pepper and coriander until fork tender. After braising till tender for about an hour and a half, the octopus is rinsed under warm water and quickly chilled.

When the braised octopus is completely chilled, the tentacles are removed by cutting them very close to the head to retain as much meat as possible. Strangers & Saints discards the head. But it can be used if you clean it by turning it inside out, removing the innards and its two beaks. Then proceed with the same preparation as the tentacles. The meat is marinated in the ras el hanout marinade for several hours or overnight. The octopus is finished by broiling until crispy-tender.

Can you do this at home? Yes. You’ll find very good quality, cleaned, frozen octopus at seafood stores and online. (Almost all octopus is frozen, as it spoils very quickly.) Most commonly, you’ll find 2- to 4-pound whole octopuses, and in some instances, you can find cleaned, frozen tentacles.

If octopus is not your thing, the marinade works very well with shrimp or scallops. Simply marinate raw shrimp or raw scallops for at least an hour and up to four hours before broiling. Serve them atop the chickpea mash, and enjoy as you would the octopus.

If you decide to make the octopus, I encourage you to braise and marinate it the day before you plan to serve it; it tastes so much better this way.

MICHAEL TERCHA/CHICAGO TRIBUNE; MARK GRAHAM/FOOD STYLING Octopus is braised in an aromatic broth, then marinated with the spice blend ras el hanout and olive oil. FInally, it’s finished under the broiler.