Ingredients

• 1 kg Whole octopus, fresh or pre-cooked
• 1 bunch Fresh cilantro
• 1 bunch Fresh parsley
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 3 tablespoons Lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Sweet paprika
• 0.5 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (optional)
• to taste Salt
• to taste Freshly ground black pepper
• 200 g Red lentils
• 500 ml Water
• 0.5 unit Cucumber
• 150 g Cherry tomatoes
• 0.25 unit Red onion
• 50 g Pitted Kalamata olives
• 0.25 bunch Fresh mint

Instructions

1. 1

   If using fresh octopus, clean it thoroughly. If frozen, thaw then rinse. Boil a large pot of salted water. Dip the octopus 3 times for a few seconds each to 'shock' the tentacles, then simmer gently for 45-60 minutes, or until very tender. Drain and let cool slightly. If using pre-cooked octopus, proceed to the next step.

2. 2

   Cut the cooked octopus into manageable pieces if desired.

3. 3

   For the chermoula: In a food processor, blend the cilantro, parsley, garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 4 tablespoons olive oil, cumin, sweet paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper until a homogeneous paste is formed.

4. 4

   Place the octopus in a large bowl. Add the chermoula and mix well to coat all pieces. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 1 hour, ideally 4 hours or overnight.

5. 5

   While the octopus marinates, prepare the salad. Rinse the red lentils. In a saucepan, bring the water (500 ml) to a boil, add the lentils, and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until tender but still slightly firm. Drain and let cool.

6. 6

   Meanwhile, dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely slice the red onion, and slice the Kalamata olives if whole. Roughly chop the fresh mint.

7. 7

   In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled lentils with the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, and mint. Season with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

8. 8

   Preheat a grill (BBQ or indoor grill pan) to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.

9. 9

   Remove the octopus from the marinade (discard excess) and place it on the hot grill. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side, until well-marked and slightly crispy.

10. 10

    Serve the grilled octopus hot, accompanied by the red lentil salad.