Fun with food

Or, in this case, the HUMOR of cooking. Sometimes the quest for new cooking repertoire leads us in expected directions!

Remember how I mentioned that I enjoy cooking and finding new, healthy recipes in my Fitness Friday post? Well, my latest addition to my growing cooking library was a Mediterranean-influenced, low-carb cookbook. Not that I'm going totally low-carb, just lower carb. And I'm always looking for new & interesting ways to cook vegetables. Well, I came across a recipe in my new book that I just HAVE to share. Juliemom, I SO wanted to call you and say "Listen to this!" But with the time difference & daytime availability thing, I had to wait & share it via the blog. You think the veggie platter & carob cookies sounded gross? Well, buckle up for...

Marinated Octopus, Roasted Red Pepper, and Caper Salad

I know the title is scary--it gets worse, trust me.

Ingredients:

1 medium frozen octopus (about 3 pounds), defrosted

2/3 cup red wine vinegar

2/3 cup olive oil

1 garlic clove, slivered

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

4 large roasted red peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 scallions, white part only, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano

1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more if desired

3 small bunches frisee, trimmed

2 tablespoons small capers, rinsed and drained

Clean the octopus. Cut the octopus just below its eyes and remove the hood completely. Discard. Remove and discard the mouth and beak. Place the octopus in a large, heavy pot over high heat, cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook for about 50 minutes, until it turns bright pink and is tender. Remove and cool. Peel off the purple membrane, if desired.

IF DESIRED!?!?!? And if it were up to me to write the rest of the directions, they'd go something like: "Then put the dismembered and boiled octopus on the front step of someone you really don't like, run away, then go home & order a pizza for dinner." But no, the recipe goes on to say,

"...Cut the octopus into 8 tentacles and cut each tentacle into 1/8 inch oval slices."

Then you marinate it in the dressing, and apparently combine with all of the other non-scary ingredients and then eat it. Eww. I have eaten squid tentacle at a Thai restaurant, but that's only because it came to me de-hooded & de-beaked and breaded & fried so all I had to do was dip it in spicy sauce, chew real quick & swallow. But this? No way.

And I'm sorry if you are a proud Greek who agrees that octopus is a delicacy and I'm an ignorant Xeno (pronounced Ex-heno for those who have not seen "My Big Fat Greek Wedding) for not being willing to try the above recipe. You may have a point, so here's my compromise. You cook it, invite me over, and I'll try it. I promise. I just don't want to know what you've done with the hood & beak. Ignorance is bliss.