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Charred Octopus with XO and Pickled Daikon

- Steps
- Ingredients
Steps
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- For the Octopus, fill a large pot with water and bring to the boil.
- Roughly chop onion and garlic and add to pot.
- Add vinegar and peppercorns then add octopus. Return to the boil then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 45 – 50 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Thread each tentacle onto a skewer. Cook over hibachi, BBQ or hot pan for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and season with lemon and salt.
- For the XO Sauce, place dried shrimp and scallops into separate bowls. Cover each with 1 ½ cups boiling water and set aside to soak for 1 hour. Reserve soaking liquid.
- Place chicken wings onto a lined tray and roast in the oven until browned, about 30 minutes.
- Place chicken stock and chicken wings into a medium saucepan and simmer until stock has reduced by half. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Meanwhile, place vegetable oil into a medium saucepan and bring to 170°C.
- Add shallots, mushrooms and garlic, stirring often, until lightly golden, about 2 minutes.
- Add chillies, softened shrimp and scallops and cook until chillies have softened, about 2 minutes.
- Reduce to heat to low. Add gochugaru and prosciutto and cook for a few minutes.
- Add sugar, soy sauce, wine and strained chicken stock. Add 100ml of the reserved scallop and shrimp soaking water. Simmer for 40 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Set aside.
- For the Pickled Daikon, peel daikon then using a Japanese lathe, mandolin or vegetable peeler, slice the daikon into ling thin sheets. Cut the strips into 2cm widths and place into a bowl. Pour pinakurat over the top and place into fridge to pickle for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse when ready to serve.
- For the Charred Lemon, cut lemons in half and cook cut side down on hibachi or grill pan until charred.
- To serve, place one charred octopus tentacle on each plate. Top with some XO Sauce, including the oil. Add some pickled daikon and garnish with charred lemon halves.