Pulpo a las Brasas...Pulpo a las Brasas con Mole Blanco y Ceniza de Chiles

Tender braised and charcoal-seared octopus tentacle rested over a silky, fragrant mole blanco of Marcona almonds and white chocolate, accented with pickled baby tomatillo discs, chile ash, and toasted amaranth.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   To braise the octopus: Fill a large copper or heavy-bottomed pot with water, adding 2 avocado leaves, 3 crushed garlic cloves, half the white onion, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Bring to a rolling boil. Dip the octopus tentacles in and out of the water three times to curl them, then fully submerge. Simmer gently over low heat for 45 to 55 minutes until a cake tester slips effortlessly into the thickest part. Cool down the octopus in its own cooking liquid, then portion into single tentacles.

2. 02

   To make the chile ash: In a dry cast-iron skillet or directly over an open flame, char the dried ancho chili until completely black and brittle, without igniting. Transfer to a mortar or spice grinder and process into a fine, pitch-black powder. Pass through a fine chinois and reserve.

3. 03

   To pickle the tomatillos: Combine white wine vinegar, 25ml water, a pinch of sugar, and sea salt. Bring to a quick simmer, pour over the shaved tomatillos, and chill immediately in an ice bath to maintain crispness and acidity.

4. 04

   To prepare the Mole Blanco: Heat duck fat in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Sweat the sliced white onion, remaining 2 garlic cloves, plantain, and seeded habanero until soft and translucent without taking any color. In a separate dry pan, gently toast the Marcona almonds and pine nuts until fragrant and pale cream (avoid browning).

5. 05

   Deglaze the onion-plantain mixture with the dry sherry and reduce by half. Add the toasted nuts and hot stock. Simmer gently for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix) and process on maximum speed for 3 minutes until an ultra-smooth, velvet emulsion forms. Whisk in the white chocolate off the heat until melted and thoroughly emulsified. Strain through a fine-mesh tamis and adjust seasoning with fine sea salt.

6. 06

   To finish and plate: Heat a binchotan charcoal grill or heavy cast-iron grill pan to very high heat. Brush the cooked octopus tentacles with a thin layer of oil. Sear over glowing charcoal for 2 minutes per side until intensely charred and crisp on the edges while remaining tender inside. Brush with reserved octopus braising liquor reduction for gloss.

7. 07

   Assembly: Spoon a warm pool of Mole Blanco into the center of a shallow, dark ceramic bowl. Drape the charred octopus tentacle diagonally across the mole. Arrange pickled tomatillo rounds along the tentacle. Scatter toasted puffed amaranth for texture, dust one edge of the plate with the fine ancho chile ash, and finish with micro cilantro leaves and borage flowers.