In case you haven’t heard, fried calamari is out.
Grilled octopus is in.
Those looking to satisfy their craving for a briny taste with a rubbery consistency, without all the artery-clogging fat, are turning to thicker, slightly sweeter slices of the grilled version.
In more and more places, the tentacled treat is showing up on the menus of city restaurants, not just at traditional sushi bars.
“The difficult thing is that it has to have a bite and be soft at the same time,” say Gregory Zapantis, the chef and owner of Trata on the Upper East Side.
His octopus is marinated in extra virgin olive oil with fresh herbs and peppercorns for 24 hours.
It is then quickly grilled at a high temperature until slightly charred at the ends. It’s served with little garnish.
Another method, he says, is a traditional preparation of sun-dried octopus. “But we aren’t getting much sun around here,” he chuckles.
Trata, the Greek eatery, famed for its fresh seafood dishes, was recently featured on “Extreme Cuisine” on the Food Network, for its unusual preparation of octopus.
Zapantis explains the nuances of the oft-misunderstood, shy mollusk.
“The best octopus in the world comes from Portugal,” he explains. “There are two types, one that travels long distances and has thin, long legs and is very tough.
“The other kind, what we use, stays in the same waters and has short, thick legs.”
The latter produces a better tasting and more tender meat, the chef says.
The “extreme” interest from the Food Network’s prospective refers to the unusual way in which Zapantis tenderizes the creature before putting it on the grill.
“In the old days, when the fisherman came in with their catch, they would beat the octopus against the rocks for about 25 minutes in order to break down the tough tissue,” he says.
Today, the chef takes a more modern approach.
“I have a washing machine here in the restaurant that duplicates the beating process,” he says. “I just put it in the spin cycle.”
“You just have to make sure you don’t run it through the wash. That would boil it.”
Does the Maytag also do laundry?
“My machine is used only for the octopus,” he assures. “No linens.”
