Home Cook Together. Celebrate Life.

PortugueseAuthentic Cuisine

Polvo à Lagareiro

Serves 4 to 6 Entree seafood, Fish

Polvo à Lagareiro

Polvo à Lagareiro is a beloved dish from the Alentejo coast, where the Atlantic breeze mingles with the aroma of olive groves. It's a dish that embodies the essence of coastal Portuguese cooking, often prepared in homes where olive oil flows generously and the sea's bounty is celebrated. This home-style recipe captures the simplicity and authenticity of how locals might serve it on any given day, without fuss or embellishment.

Tender octopus, cooked to perfection, mingles with roasted new potatoes, each bite imbued with the richness of garlic and the warmth of bay leaf. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil ties everything together, while a sprinkle of flat-leaf parsley adds a fresh, herbal note. This dish should be a harmonious blend of briny, buttery, and earthy flavors, with each ingredient speaking clearly and with purpose.

Ingredients

  • 1octopus — about 2 kg
  • 1 kgsmall new potatoes — scrubbed
  • 1 headgarlic — cloves sliced
  • 200 mlextra virgin olive oil
  • 1onion — halved, for the pot
  • 1bay leaf
  • 3 tbspflat-leaf parsley — chopped
  • to tastecoarse sea salt

Method

  1. Start by cleaning the octopus thoroughly under cold running water to remove any sand or impurities. Pat it dry with paper towels to ensure it sears properly later. This step is crucial to avoid the octopus stewing in its own water, which would affect the texture.
  2. Place the octopus in a large pot with enough water to cover it. Add the onion and bay leaf to the pot. Bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook until the octopus is tender and easily pierced with a fork, which usually takes about 45 minutes. Remove the octopus from the pot and set it aside to cool slightly.
  3. While the octopus is cooking, preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F). Wash the small new potatoes and place them on a baking tray. Drizzle with 50 ml of the extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Roast the potatoes in the oven until they are golden and tender, about 30-40 minutes.
  4. Peel and thinly slice the head of garlic. In a large skillet, heat 150 ml of extra virgin olive oil over low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently until it becomes fragrant and just starts to turn golden, being careful not to burn it. This will infuse the oil with a sweet garlic flavor.
  5. Once the octopus is cool enough to handle, cut it into large pieces. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the octopus pieces to the skillet with the garlic oil. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the octopus turns opaque and just firm, about 5 minutes. This method ensures the octopus remains tender and intact.
  6. Remove the roasted potatoes from the oven and gently crush them with the back of a fork to allow the flavors to penetrate. Add the potatoes to the skillet with the octopus and garlic oil. Toss everything together gently to coat the potatoes and octopus in the flavorful oil.
  7. Finish the dish by sprinkling 3 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley over the octopus and potatoes. Taste and adjust for salt if necessary. Serve immediately, drizzling with a little more raw olive oil if desired, to enhance the richness and flavor of the dish.
Cover of Authentic Portuguese Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Portuguese Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Portuguese Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Portuguese volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Buy the cookbook on Amazon Explore Portuguese cuisine