Paleo Grilled Octopus

Do you miss ordering fried calamari when you go out to eat? Try this Paleo grilled octopus recipe to make you forget all about the fried stuff. by Marla Sarris, updated December 3, 2016 Posted on May 14, 2014

Marla Sarris is the founder of Paleo Porn, co-author of Pigskin Paleo, project manager at SPYR and Executive Producer of Minimalism. After tirelessly dedicating six years to teaching Mathematics at one of the top High Schools in the nation, she left her all-consuming career in pursuit of a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. She continues to indulge her passion for teaching through Paleo Porn.

Do you miss ordering fried calamari at restaurants when you go out to eat?

Have you tried grilled calamari instead? It’s a gluten-free, paleo-friendly alternative that will make you forget all about the fried stuff.

Paleo Grilled Octopus

Seafood is chock full of vitamins and minerals that we need, including iodine and selenium. If you get bored of white fish, adding a little squid and octopus is a great way to mix it up without missing out on all of those wonderful nutrients.

Pairing the grilled octopus with this homemade pesto makes the perfect flavor combination. It also adds a little color to the dish!

Paleo Grilled Octopus

And pesto is not hard to make. Especially when you make your food processor do all the work for you!

The plating for this recipe doesn’t have to be super fancy. Just toss the fish and the vegetables together, top with a dollop of pesto and voila!

Paleo Grilled Octopus

You can certainly use a grill to make this recipe, rather than a grill pan, if you prefer. Personally I’m not a fan of our outdoor grill. It tends to sit and collect dust, or snow, depending on the season. :)

However, if you choose to use an outdoor grill, it can provide more flavor thanks to the smoke and BBQ-y-ness. ;) Just be sure to watch it carefully because the open flame can be unpredictable and squid and octopus can easily turn rubbery.

Paleo Grilled Octopus

Yield: Serves 2-3

Ingredients

2lbs asparagus
1 1/4lb squid (tubes and tentacles)
3/4lb tenderized baby octopus
5 cloves garlic
8oz mini portobello mushrooms, sliced
4 roma tomatoes, scored on both sides
2 lemons
sea salt, to taste
1/2 red bell pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1-1 1/2 cup fresh parsley
extra virgin olive oil, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
3-4 tablespoons grass-fed butter

Directions

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Trim asparagus and add to boiling pan, cover. Cook for 3-5 minutes until they turn bright green. Drain and set asparagus aside.
Clean squid and octopus. (Be sure to remove squid sack and eyes, if not already removed.)
Slice 3 cloves of garlic and add to a pressure cooker along with the mushrooms over medium heat. Slice squid tubes and add tentacles and octopus to the pot. Add water enough to cover. Add scored tomatoes and 1/2 of a lemon sliced. Season with 1-2 pinch of sea salt. Cover and turn heat up to medium high. Once it's reached full pressure, reduce to low heat and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and use the natural pressure release method.
While the squid and octopus are cooking mince the remaining 2 cloves of garlic, red pepper and lemon zest.
Add ingredients to a food processor along with the fresh parsley. Cover and process. While it's going, drizzle olive oil, juice from 1 lemon and a pinch or two of sea salt until the mixture is smooth. Taste and continue to season with additional sea salt, lemon juice and olive oil until desired taste is achieved.
When pressure has reduced open pressure cooker and use a slotted spoon to transfer squid and octopus to a bowl. Let rest 1-2 minutes.
Melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter in a grill pan over medium heat. Add squid and grill for 3-4 minutes until ends are slightly crisp. Trim octopus arms from the body and grill with squid. Continue to grill seafood in butter in batches until done.
Plate dish with a layer of asparagus across the plate. Add 1-2 tomatoes to the center of the plate. Top with grilled octopus and squid. Add mushrooms from the pot and serve with parsley sauce.
Enjoy! :)

About the Author Marla Sarris

Marla Sarris is the founder of Paleo Porn, co-author of Pigskin Paleo, project manager at SPYR and Executive Producer of Minimalism. After tirelessly dedicating six years to teaching Mathematics at one of the top High Schools in the nation, she left her all-consuming career in pursuit of a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. She continues to indulge her passion for teaching through Paleo Porn.