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Octopus Pilaf

January 14, 2018Fasting Friendly, Fish and seafood
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octopus pilafi

χταπόδι πιλάφι
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 Octopus about 1 kg
  • 3 Brown onions finely chopped
  • 3-4 Tomatoes
  • 1/2 tablespoon Tomato paste I use Greek brand Kyknos
  • 1 wine glass White wine
  • 500 g 'Kitrino' or 'Bonnet' rice
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 2 sticks Cinnamon
  • 5 wine glasses Hot water
  • Sophia's chilli puree to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Flat leaf parsley finely chopped, to serve

Instructions

  1. Thoroughly wash the octopus, clean it by removing the teeth and eyes, and cut into small pieces.

  2. Boil the octopus in a dry pot for around 10 minutes. Strain off any of the water released by the octopus and set the octopus pieces aside.

  3. Pour 4 tbsp of olive oil into the pan, add the chopped onion and sauté along with the octopus pieces. Add the white wine and let the alcohol cook off.

  4. Briefly blanch the tomatoes in boiling water, peel them, rub on a grater and pass through a colander. Add the fresh tomato to the pan along with the tomato paste and chilli puree (if using). Only just bring to the boil and then add the 5 glasses of hot water. Add the bay leaves and cinnamon. Boil all together until the octopus is tender.

  5. While the octopus is boiling, clean the rice well to remove the excess starch. Pour the rice into the pan. Stir and let the rice just simmer until tender, around 20 minutes, the rice should have absorbed all of the sauce. Season to taste. Serve hot or warm. You can add freshly chopped parsley and ground black pepper, if preferred.

About Kat

Welcome to Mulberry Pomegranate, a blog all about Greek food and lifestyle. I am an Australian girl who has married into a Greek-Australian family. This is my story of becoming (almost) Greek...

Previous Post: « Melitzanosalata
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Welcome

Καλώς ορίσατε! When Kat met her now husband at a New Year’s Eve party, little did she know how much it would change her life – especially the culinary aspects! Kat’s mother in law was a phenomenal talent in the kitchen; creating all of the classic Greek favourites but also regional dishes from her home Island of Zakynthos. Regretting not recording the recipes of her own Grandmother’s, Kat was not going to miss the opportunity to record the recipes and stories of her mother in law Sophia. Starting out as a personal project to document her family’s recipes, Mulberry Pomegranate has become a widely read guide to the Greek Mediterranean way of life. Read more 

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Spring is in the air and the freshly caught octopu Spring is in the air and the freshly caught octopus is at its  very best! 

Here is a super easy family recipe for grilled octopus the Greek way; lightly charred and left to soak in a gentle bath of lemon, extra virgin olive oil, smoked red pepper and aromatic oregano. 

Serve simply with good hortiatiko bread to soak up all the delicious dressing, and a little ouzo, with plenty of ice on the side and a little chilled water. 

You will need:

1 octopus, cleaned 
3 medium garlic cloves
A few cloves 
1 glass of white or rose wine 
Greek extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Greek Oregano (rigani) to taste 
Smoked red pepper flakes 
Juice of 1 – 2 lemons

Instructions

Place the clean octopus in a pot, add the garlic cloves, whole cloves, wine and olive oil. Cover. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. 

Remove from the pot, at this point you can remove the skin if desired and then cut into pieces.

Combine the extra virgin olive oil, rigani, smoked red pepper flakes and lemon juice. You can also add a little crushed garlic. Mix well and set aside.

Heat the barbecue on medium-high, before laying down the octopus pieces on the grill. Barbecue the octopus pieces on both sides until lightly charred. 

Add the octopus pieces to a serving bowl that contains the dressing and mix well. 

The octopus benefits from a good soak in the dressing before serving, but do make sure to serve while still warm. 

#greekoctopus #grilledoctopus #greekrecipes #greekfood #greekfamilyrecipes #seafoodrecipes #bluezoneskitchen #mediterraneandiet #greekmediterraneandiet #bluezonesrecipes
Welcoming the new season, and a whole lot of famil Welcoming the new season, and a whole lot of family birthday celebrations. Here’s to spring and embracing all its good things.
Gosh, it’s been a minute! Life got busy, but pos Gosh, it’s been a minute! Life got busy, but post market lunches resume with a touch of spring in the air: celeriac remoulade, picholine olives, breakfast radishes, cornichons and cherry tomatoes; steam artichokes with homemade smokey paprika aioli; herby crumbed calamari and home fried potatoes. All catching a whisper of the sun in the garden.

#mediterraneandiet #mediterraneanfood #bluezoneskitchen #bluezonesrecipes #eattherainbow #springrecipes #springfood #meatfree #lunchideas #familyfood
… Καλό Πάσχα! Kalo Pascha! Happy Eas …

Καλό Πάσχα! 
Kalo Pascha! 
Happy Easter! 

And we’re ready for Easter! 

Wishing everyone who celebrates Easter this evening a joyful and blessed celebration!

#ΚαλόΠάσχα #KaloPascha #HappyEaster #KaliAnastasi #ΚαλήΑνάσταση #orthodoxeaster #greekeaster2024🇬🇷 #greekfood #greektraditions #greekfamily
Autumn under the olive and mulberry tree: With a Autumn under the olive and mulberry tree: 

With a picnic of wild herb pies, brandade (salt cod and garlic purée) & green olive tapenade on sourdough, home cured olives, the last of the summer cherry tomatoes, carrot and cumin salad; and pickled octopus.

#mediterraneandiet #bluezoneskitchen #bluezones #greekfood #provencalefood #autumnvibes
Mid week kalitsounia with celery, mint, spinach an Mid week kalitsounia with celery, mint, spinach and onion. A little feta, optional.

#greece #greekfood #greekodyssey #discovergreece #ilovegreece #greekmediterraneandiet #mediterraneandiet #bluezoneskitchen #bluezones #greekfood #greekfoodmadeeasy #greekfoodwithfriends #greekkitchen #kalitsounia #καλιτσούνια
Homemade cavatelli, from a simple semolina and war Homemade cavatelli, from a simple semolina and warm water pasta dough, with an even simpler garlicky tomato sauce. Kosta’s home-cured olives and a little sourdough on the side.
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#mediterraneandiet #mediterraneanfood #bluezoneskitchen #bluezonesrecipes #cavatelli #goodfriday #meatfreemeals #pastarecipes🍅🍆🍴🇮🇹 #homemade
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