Nutritional value of octopus
Octopus is a mollusk that belongs to the foods known as seafood. Its meat is distinguished by its unique texture and taste and has high nutritional value.
The difference between octopus and other seafood lies in the high levels of taurine in octopus, the amino acid that supports heart and muscle activity. Its meat is an excellent source of protein and provides the daily needs of them with one serving.
In the content of beneficial substances can be noted omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, selenium, iron and zinc, which play a key role in immunity and a number of body functions.
At the same time, octopus contains few calories and fat, making it suitable for maintaining optimal weight and high levels of iodine support thyroid health and metabolism.
Preparing octopus
The octopus has no skeleton, as it is part of the mollusk group, and consists of 2 eyes, 8 tentacles and a bilaterally symmetrical body. Everything is eaten from it except the eyes, the area around the mouth and the entrails.
This delicacy can be prepared fresh or after the octopus has been frozen. It is prepared boiled, baked, grilled in a pan, it is an excellent food when grilled, cut into pieces, as the main ingredient of spaghetti, risotto or in a salad. It can be cooked in a seafood stew, which is a typical recipe in Mediterranean cuisine, stewed with vegetables and has other numerous culinary applications.
Suitable spices for octopus
Octopus is preferred in cooking because of its delicate meat and its ability to absorb the flavors of various sauces and spices. This allows for incredible taste sensations with the right choice and combination of spices.
Another excellent property of octopus is that it allows the use of a wide range of spices - garlic, basil, mint, black pepper, paprika, oregano, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, allspice, rosemary, thyme and many others. The important thing is to cook the meat so that it remains soft and can more easily absorb the spices that will dominate the desired taste sensation. Therefore, cooking the meat is a very important stage of the process, requiring that the meat should not be removed immediately after cooking, but left in its own water until it cools, which will make it tender.
Grilled octopus
The recipe for grilled octopus is from Italian cuisine.
Required products:
1 octopus about 2 kilograms
1/2 lemon with peel, finely chopped
the juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Preparation:
Clean the octopus and cut it in half. Marinate it in a bowl with the lemons and lemon juice, olive oil, Tabasco and garlic. Leave it in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
Strain from the marinade and grill the octopus, before serving decorate as desired.
Have a look at more tips on how to prepare a tender octopus, as well as how to know that you are buying fresh octopus.
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