Like most kids, I had an aversion to seafood (other than fish sticks) and there was no way I would put that thing in my mouth (octopus).

However, during a family trip to Greece in 1980 I was the “tag-along” with my favourite uncle treating my dad and other uncles to an array of Greek seafood mezedes and ouzo. Plates up on plates of small samplings of different dips, an array of seafood and lots of ouzo would ply us through the evening and ever-fueling that Greek bravado.

To this day, I recall that hot Greek early evening as we ate & drank the night away, talked of the good life and my baptism by fire into seafood and succulent grilled octopus.

To assure one of having a tender (not tough or rubbery) octopus is to simmer the cephalapod or in a more time-saving fashion…using the pressure cooker.

Grilled Octopus

• 1 whole octopus, ink sac and beak removed
• 1 wine cork

For the octopus

1. Place your octopus in a pot with 1 wine cork and cover. Turn the heat to high for 30 minutes. (The octopus will release it’s own braising liquid)
2. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to simmer for another hour.
3. You’ll be left with a fork tender octopus and some octopus stock. Cut your octopus into eighths and use as desired.

Marinade

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 Tbsp of dried Greek oregano

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and toss the Octopi. Pre-heat your BBQ.
2. On a preheated BBQ (high heat), grill your octopi for 3 minutes per side.
3. Squeeze lemon juice, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle dried Greek oregano