Octopus Salad with Arugula and Cranberry Beans

The CC came across the most excellent octopus in the Korean markets in Queens this week so he had to buy some. There were also excellent fresh cranberry beans to be had so naturally he had to buy that too.

The combination of octopus and beans is a classic all across the Mediterranean everywhere from Spain, the French Rivera, Italy, Greece and further.

The recipe is simplicity itself. Braise the octopus until tender. Use the braised liquid to cook the beans in. Make a fine vinaigrette and toss it all together. The CC served it with some fine focaccia on the side.

Ingredients

8 baby octopuses
1 carrot
1 red onion
12 black peppercorns

1/2 cup fresh cranberry beans
1 cup arugula

1 shallot (finely chopped)
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
salt
black pepper

Recipe

Octopuses come pre-cleaned these days. All you need to do is cut off the head from the tentacles which are joined by the eye. Each octopus will yield two parts.

Cut the carrots and onions coarsely. Add the octopus, carrots, onions and peppercorns with about a cup of water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to very low, and let simmer for about 30 minutes till the octopuses are tender.

Pull the octopuses out with tongs and let cool down. Strain the liquid above and reserve.

Add the fresh cranberry beans to the above liquid and bring to a boil. Simmer at low heat until done. Roughly 15 minutes.

Strain and reserve the liquid. (This makes an amazing broth for future use.)

Make a vinaigrette with shallots, olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss everything together and serve.

Arugula, Walnuts, Duck Salami

Orecchiete with Beans, Carrots, Arugula and Pinenuts

This is another one of those week-day dishes that is far more phenomenal than it sounds. It is also amenable to prep ahead of time.

The Italians like to cook their arugula. It does bring out its peppery nature!

Ingredients

1 cup cooked beans (cannellini, or similar)
1 onion (sliced into thin half-rounds)
1 carrot
2 cups arugula
1/4 cup pinenuts

olive oil
salt
pepper
parmigiano-reggiano

Recipe

Cook the white beans in salted water until edible. This step can be done ahead of time, say on the weekend.

Shred the carrots using a box grater.

Toast the pinenuts on a skillet.

Cook the orecchiete in salted water until just under al dente.

Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a pan, and sautée the onions over medium-high heat. Fry the carrots, followed by the beans, salt and pepper. Add a few tablespoons of the pasta water to thin. Toss in the arugula followed by the orecchiete.

Top with the parm and the pinenuts.

Wild Arugula Salad with Beans & Pistachios

The beans are the "yellow-eyed beans" from Rancho Gordo. They were prepped by boiling them with a little bit of prosciutto. Yep, this makes all the difference in the world. Vegetarians will never "get it" but at the very least they can read a technical explanation here.

The pistachios, are well, pistachios. However, they've been roasted lightly.

The greens are wild arugula. They are thinner and more peppery than their cultivated counterpart.

The vinaigrette is a standard one. It was made with pistachio oil to bring out the pistachio-ness of the ensemble.

The white shavings ia parmigiano-reggiano.

There is nothing complicated here but the attention to detail makes it go zing, zing, zing.

Pan-Seared Cod with Quinoa, Roasted Vegetables, and Wild Arugula

Arugula Salad with Prosciutto, Beluga Lentils & Radishes

Yeah, the smiley face with glasses is intentional!

Happy New Year!

Chanterelle Dinner

Salad with Fig Vinegar, Pistachios and Gorgonzola
Strozzapreti with Chanterelles and Thyme

Weekday Dinner

Arugula Salad with Roasted Pistachios & Gorgonzola in a Basil Vinaigrette
Pasta with Onions, Flat Beans & Rosemary

Arugula, Walnut, Orange and Feta Salad

You may make substitutions but please respect the perfect blend of sweet, salty, sour and bitter, and the textural variation.

Ingredients

2 cups arugula (washed)
1 orange (peeled, diced into half-slices)
1 cup walnuts (roasted)
1 red onion (sliced very thin into semi-rounds)

feta (crumbled)

1 orange (juiced)
1/8 cup olive oil
1/16 cup balsamic vinegar
black pepper

Recipe

Whip the juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and black pepper into a vinaigrette. (You don't need salt because the feta is salty enough.)

Mix together. Serve.