James Beard Foundation | Octopus Recipe

For many home cooks, octopus may seem like a luxury item best left to professional chefs willing to tackle the multi-tentacled delight. But the simple set-it-and-forget-it oven method in this recipe from Ohio chef Matthew Mytro erases any preconceived notion of unattainability by slowly braising the cephalopod in herbs and red wine, ultimately yielding the perfect tender texture. Mytro and his mentor Paul Minnillo of the lauded Flour Restaurant will serve their Octopus alla Plancha at the Beard House tonight as part of their dinner dedicated to “new-school” Italian cooking, but this elevated hors d’oeuvre deserves a spot at your next dinner party—you’ll impress your guests firsts with your technical skills, and then with the flavor-packed interplay of rich, charred octopus, briny pickled carrots, and the salty-and-smoky pepperoni vinaigrette.