Pickled octopus (arti)

Growing up I would walk on the reef in the mornings before school and get fresh caught octopus for pickling, and we'd eat fresh pickled octopus for breakfast.

Credit: Frank Yang

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  1:15 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 whole octopus (about 1.5kg)
• ¾ cup olive oil
• ⅔ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp lemon myrtle
• ½ tsp pepperberries, crushed
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 long red chilli, sliced
• ½ tsp sea salt

Pickling time: Overnight to two days

Instructions

1. Clean the octopus by taking out the beak and the head guts.
2. In a medium to largish pot put enough salted water to cover your octopus. Cook on a medium heat to start simmer then on low for 1 hour 15 mins, until tender.
3. Set octopus aside and allow to cool.
4. Slice up the tentacles and body into 3 cm pieces.
5. In a jug, mix all remaining ingredients except the salt, taste and season as needed.  
6. Place sliced octopus in a jar/jars cover with olive oil blend then refrigerate for 1-2 days before serving.

 

Celebrate Island flavours with Nornie Bero in Torres Strait at Home.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.