Restaurant Latour

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Octopus with Fresh Garbanzo Beans & Harissa
Serves 4 as an appetizer

For the Harissa
1 red bell pepper
2 tbs. olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
1 dried ancho chile (or use jalapeño)
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 lemon (zest & juice)
salt

1 c. fresh garbanzo beans
1 tbs. grape seed oil  
4 octopus legs, par boiled
1 c. brewed chamomile tea with honey

Note: You can buy cleaned, par boiled octopus from your fish monger. They are happy to prep it for you. 

In a small sauce pan, heat the tea with honey over low heat. You want it to reduce until it becomes thick and syrupy.

Roast the red pepper over an open flame, or in a broiler, until it has charred on all sides. Place the pepper in a bowl and wrap with plastic wrap. Allow pepper to steam for about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the plastic wrap, peel the skin from the pepper and cut it up, removing the inner seeds.  

In a pan, heat the olive oil and add the red onion and some salt. Allow the onion to cook down for about 10 minutes. If it turns brown in spots, that's a good thing.

Add the roasted red pepper to the pan.

Break the ancho chile in two and shake out the seeds. Drop the chile pieces into the pan with the onion.

Add in the cumin and coriander.

Allow the mixture to cook altogether for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the pan.

Scrape the vegetables into a blender. Add in the juice and the zest of 1 lemon. Puree until smooth.  Check for seasoning and adjust if needed. Set harissa aside.

Heat the grape seed oil in a heavy cast iron pan over high heat. When the pan is VERY hot, place the octopus in, sucker side down. Since it is pre-cooked you are only trying to sear the outside. When it releases easily from the pan, turn it and sear the next side. Continue until it is crispy on all sides.

To plate the dish, mix 1 tbs. harissa with 1/4 c. of garbanzo beans. Place them in serving bowls.

Cut each octopus leg into 3 pieces, place them on top of the garbanzo beans.

Drizzle the entire dish with chamomile tea glaze.

Buon Appetito! 

Restauant Latour at Crystal Springs Resort
855-977-6473