Octopus Burger

The octopus burger is a gourmet and creative variant of the traditional meat hamburger. This dish combines the taste of the sea with the concept of Italian-style fast food. Here’s how you could prepare an octopus burger.

Ingredients

• 500 grams of cleaned octopus
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• Chopped parsley to taste
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Hamburger buns
• Salad (optional, such as arugula or lettuce)
• Mayonnaise and other condiments to taste (for example, tartar sauce)

For an “Italian style” variant you could add:

• Fresh tomato slices
• Buffalo mozzarella

Preparation

1. Start by boiling the octopus in a pot with plenty of salted water. If you prefer, you could also add some peppercorns and a bay leaf to the cooking water to flavor it.
2. Cook the octopus for about 40-60 minutes or until it is tender. The cooking time depends on the size of the octopus.
3. Once the octopus is cooked, turn off the heat and let it cool in the cooking water to maintain tenderness.
4. Cut the octopus into small pieces, removing any less compact parts, and put it into a mixer along with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a clove of garlic with the germ removed, salt, pepper and a bit of chopped parsley.
5. Blend everything until you get a homogeneous mixture.
6. Form burgers with the octopus mixture, using a round mold to shape them.
7. In a non-stick pan, heat some oil and cook the octopus burgers on both sides until they are golden.
8. In the meantime, toast the hamburger buns.
9. Assemble the burger by adding some salad on the bottom of the bread, the octopus burger, the fresh tomato slices, and the sliced buffalo mozzarella.
10. Finish with mayonnaise and/or tartar sauce, or with the condiments you prefer, and cover with the top part of the bun.

Curiosity

Octopus is rich in protein and low in fats, making this burger not only original but also a healthier alternative to meat ones. Moreover, from an Italian culinary perspective, pairing it with fresh and local ingredients like tomato and buffalo mozzarella enhances the fusion between seafood cuisine and traditional Italian flavors.