Dish Name: Smoked Octopus Terrine with Apple pickled in Elderflower Vinegar, Saffron Aioli, Black Garlic and Squid Ink Aioli.
Portions: 4
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 6 hours plus additional time for cooling while compressing the terrine
List of ingredients:
Octopus
40 ml rapeseed oil
15 g garlic peeled and thinly sliced
4 sprigs of thyme
4g fine sea salt
6g sugar
600g octopus
Wood dust for smoking (ideally apple wood)
Apple pickled in Elderflower Vinegar
1 granny smith apple
30ml sweet elderflower vinegar
Saffron Aioli
1g saffron chopped very fine
100ml fish stock
Modified starch for thickening
60ml mayonnaise
Black Garlic and Squid Ink Aioli
1 bulb of black garlic peeled
1 tbsp squid Ink
1 tbsp dashi vinegar
Modified starch for thickening
60ml mayonnaise
To finish
Seasonal Flowers and Leaves
Herb or good rapeseed oil
Method of preparation:
Octopus
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the octopus cook for 30 seconds and plunge into ice cold water. Repeat twice more. Leave to cool.
- Gently smoke the octopus in a smoker/smoke box for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Combine the oil and garlic in a saucepan and simmer over a gently heat until the garlic begins to turn golden. Add the thyme and allow to cook for a further minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Mix the salt, sugar together and season the octopus, place into a vacuum bag with the cooled oil and seal.
- Place in a water bath at 78 ˚C and cook the octopus for 6 hours.
- Remove the vacuum bag from the water bath, open the bag and remove the octopus reserving the juice.
- Allow the octopus to cool slightly.
- Remove all the tentacles slicing the thicker parts and the head lengthways into strips.
- Layer all the octopus’s meat into a terrine mould lined with clingfilm, close over the clingfilm tightly.
- Cool while compressing the terrine with a heavy weight on top of it until fully chilled.
Apple pickled in Elderflower Vinegar
- Finely dice the apple into a bowl containing the vinegar combine and allow to infuse for 20 minutes.
Saffron Aioli
- Place the saffron into the fish stock and reduce to 10ml. Allow to cool.
- Once cold add modified starch to thicken to a gel.
- Place mayonnaise into a blender and add saffron mix whilst blending. Remove and set aside until required.
Black Garlic and Squid Ink Aioli
- Place everything apart from the mayonnaise in a blender and mix to a fine thick gel.
- Add the mayonnaise and blend until well combined. Remove and set aside until required.
Presentation:
- Unmould the terrine and slice into even sections as in the picture.
- Garnish with the apple, aioli’s, seasonal flowers and leaves and finish with a herb or good rapeseed oil.
- Brush the terrine with the liquid from marinating the apple for a shiny finish and extra flavour.
Name of the Training college: Galway International Hotel School / GMIT
Address: Department of Culinary Arts, Dublin Road, Galway City
Contact Name: Ulrich Hoeche
Chef Profile:
Ulrich Hoeche is a culinary arts lecturer in the Galway International Hotel School.
Prior to that he has spent 25 years as a professional chef in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Ireland. He graduated from DIT with an MSc in Culinary Innovation and Food Product Development. He is an associate of Euro-toques Ireland, a member of the advisory council for Chef Network and actively involved with Slow Food Galway where he shares his knowledge and love of foraging.