Octopus is a favourite delicacy in Cypriot cuisine. In this contemporary recipe it is prepared in an innovative way, since it is combined with aromatic citrus fruit.
Name - Recipe
Χταπόδι με πορτοκάλι και λεμόνι, και ρύζι πιλάφι με ρόδι και σταφύλι. Octopus with orange and lemon, and pilaf rice with pomegranate and grapes.
For the octopus:
1 octopus
1 orange
1 lemon (juice)
Bay leaves
Peppercorns
Salt
Pepper
Cinnamon
Tomato, grated
Fresh spearmint or basil
For the rice:
2 glasses of rice
Butter
1 onion, finely chopped
Grapes
1 pomegranate
Grated lemon peel
Sauce from the octopus
For the octopus: Cook the octopus in a frying pan, until the juices are released. Add the orange and lemon juice. Add the bay leaves, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Finish with grated tomato. Leave the octopus to cook for another 10' to 15'. Serve with pilaf rice, chopped basil or spearmint.
For the rice: Sauté the onion in butter. Add the rice and the sauce from the octopus Add the fruit and the grated lemon peel. (Nicole Tnodorova, Cooking Cypriot food 2013-2014)
Sautéing.
Simmering.
Additional information and bibliography
Creation - recording: Nicole Tnodorova (19 years old, student of the Technical School of Paphos) see Cyprus Food and Nutrition Museum (2014) Cooking Cypriot food 2013-2014 (ed. Petroula Hadjittofi), unpublished data.
Petroulla Hadjittofi