Grilled Octopus with Cauliflower Puree and Padrón Peppers

Preparation

• 1
  Rinse the octopus thoroughly under cold water. Place it in a large pot with salted water, bay leaves, peppercorns, and garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for approx. 45–60 minutes until tender (if using pre-cooked sous-vide octopus, this step is omitted; simply warm it briefly or grill directly). Let the octopus cool in the cooking water to keep it juicy.
• 2
  Divide cauliflower into florets (set some aside for garnish) and cook in salted water for approx. 10–15 minutes until tender. Drain, add butter and cream, and blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Season with salt and a pinch of nutmeg.
• 3
  Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and sauté the reserved cauliflower florets until golden brown. In the same pan, fry the Padrón peppers for approx. 5 minutes until they blister. Season with salt and pepper.
• 4
  For the pea oil, cook the peas in salted water for 2 minutes, immediately quench in ice water (for the green color), then blend until smooth with the remaining olive oil (approx. 100 ml). Strain through a fine sieve if desired and season with salt.
• 5
  Cut octopus into pieces or leave whole tentacles. Brush with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with lemon juice. Grill on a hot grill or in a grill pan for 2–3 minutes per side until it gets a nice crust.
• 6
  Arrange cauliflower puree on plates, place the grilled octopus on top, and drizzle with pea oil. Garnish with Padrón peppers, fried cauliflower florets, and pea microgreens. Serve with remaining lemon.