“Octopusinthelate1980s
and’90sinPorirua wasnot
consideredfancy. I grewup
eatinga lotofoctopus
before it was cool.”112 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Grilledoctopus
SERVES8 // PREPTIME 25 MINS// COOK3 HRS 20 MINS(PLUSCOOLING)“Octopusinthelate1980sand’90sinPoriruawasnotsomething
thatwasconsideredfancy,”saysFiso.“You’dgotothefishmonger
andthey’dbetryingtoflickofftheoctopus.I grewupeatinga lotof
it beforeit wascool.Asa team, welovechowingdownonoctopus.”1 smallredonion,
finelychopped
10 garliccloves,finelychopped
¾ tsppiripiripaste(seenote)
160 ml(⅔cup)oliveoil
100 mllemonjuice
1 tspfinelychopped
flat-leafparsley,plus
extraleavestoserve
1 coslettuce,halved
lengthways
Roastedonions(optional),
andfinelyslicedlongred
chilli(optional),toserve
CONFITOCTOPUS
1 largeoctopus(about
1.7kg),cleaned
1 headgarlic,halved
1 birdseyechilli
1.25 litres olive oil1 Forconfitoctopus,bringa
largesaucepanofsaltedwater
toa boil(thewaterneedsto
besalty:80gmsaltto4 litres
water).Blanchoctopus,including
head,untilwatercomesback
totheboil(2-3minutes).Transfer
octopustoa bowloficed
watertocool(10minutes).
Drainandcutinhalf.
2 Preheatovento100°C.
Placeoctopus,garlic,chilliand
enoughoiltocoverina deep
roastingpan.Coverwitha lid
orfoilandbraiseinovenuntil
octopusis tender(2¾-3hours).
Removefromovenandcool
in oil, then strain (reserve oil).Cutoffhead,separate
tentaclesandtrimtentacles
atthickend(reservetrimmings).
Finelychopheadandtrimmings,
thensetaside.Setaside
wholetentacles.
3 Heat30mlreservedconfit
oilin a cast-ironfryingpanover
mediumheat,addonionand
sautéuntiltender(4-5minutes),
thenaddgarlicandsauté
untilgoldenandcaramelised
(4-5minutes).Removefrom
pan.Addreservedchopped
octopusandsautéuntilstarting
togeta lightcrust(4-5minutes).
Coolcompletely.Whiskin piripiri
paste,oil,lemonjuice, parsley
andsalttotaste.
4 Preheata woodfireor
charcoalbarbecuetomedium-
highuntilcoalsarewhite.Brush
octopustentaclesandcos
withconfitoil,thenbarbecue,
turningonce,untillightlycharred
(1-2minuteseachside).Halve
coslengthways.Placeona
servingdishwithtentacles,
scatterparsley,onionandchilli,
pouroverdressingandserve.
NoteForpiripiripaste,halve
3 birdseyechillieslengthways
andremoveseeds(optional).
Placeina mortarwitha pinch
ofsaltandpound to a paste
witha pestle.
Winesuggestion 2015 Millton
RiverpointGewürztraminer,
Gisborne, New Zealand.➤600 gm(4cups)plainflour,
plusextrafordusting
3½ tspdriedyeast
2½ tspdry-roastedfennelseeds
2½ tspdry-roastedcuminseeds
¾ tspmanukahoney
100 gmlambfat (see note),
melted
KUMARASOURDOUGH
STARTER
600 gmkumara(about
2 kumara),unpeeled
500 gm(3⅓cups)plainflour
500 gm wholemeal flour1 Forstarter,preheatovento
200°C.Linea bakingtraywith
bakingpaper.Placekumara
ontrayandroastuntilgolden
andverytender(1½hours).
Coolcompletely,thenpeelskin.
Setaside100gm(½cup)flesh,
coverandrefrigerate.Transfer
200gm(1 cup)remaining
fleshtoa bowlandmash
witha potatomasheruntil
smooth.Add100gmofeach
flourand200mlwaterand
stirtocombine.Coverand
setasidetofermentatroom
temperature(2days).Discard
halfthestarter,thenstirthrough
another100gmofeachflour
and200mlwater.Leaveto
fermentatroomtemperature
(1 day).Repeatforanother
3 daysuntilstarteris bubbling
andreadytouse.
2 Combine300gmstarter
withflour,yeast,spices,
honeyand380mlwaterina
bowlandmixuntilit formsa
slightlywetdough.Coarsely
crushreservedroastedkumara,
addtodoughandmixwithyour
hands.Setdoughasidetorest
(30minutes).Add1 tbspfine
salt and mix through doughuntilcompletelydissolved.
Leavedoughtoproveuntil
restedandrisen by one-third
(30minutes).
3 Knockbackdough,then
folddoughoveritselffrom
foursides.Setasidetorest
(30minutes),thenrepeat
processthreetimes.Cover
andrefrigeratedough
overnight.Bringdough
toroomtemperature
1½hoursbeforecooking.
4 Preheata woodfireor
charcoalbarbecuetomedium.
Dusta surfacewithextraflour.
Dividedoughinto8 small
balls(about160gmeach).
Workingwithoneballata
time,flattenandgentlystretch
byhanduntil7.5mmthick.Grill
flatbread,turningandbrushing
occasionallywithlambfat,until
lightlycharredandcooked
through(5-7minutes).Serve
warm,drizzledwithfatand
seasonedwithsaltflakes.
NoteForlambfat,youcan
reserveleftoverfatfrom
roasting,ororderlambfat
aheadfroma butcher,then
renderabout200gmdiced
lambfatwith125mlwaterina
smallsaucepanoververylow
heat.Tospeeduptherendering
process,youcanblendwith
a handblenderwhenfatis
softenedandsimmerover
verylowheatuntilliquid
becomesclearandsolidsare
lightgolden(30-40minutes).
Alternatively,youcanuse
duckfat.Strainfatthrough
a muslin-linedsieveand
discard solids before using.Grilledkumarabread
SERVES8 // PREPTIME2 HRS// COOK1 HR 40 MINS(PLUSFERMENTING,RESTING,PROVING)“We’rea bitbread-obsessedhere,especiallywhenit comesto
flatbread,”saysMoniqueFiso.“Anychancetothrowa flatbread
downandputfatoverit.It’sdelicious,andoneofthosethingswe
findreallycomforting.”Hiakaiservesitsflatbreadwithrenderedfat
fromsaltednativetitibird.Theclosesttoit inAustraliais mutton
bird,butwe’veusedrenderedlambfatinstead.Startthisrecipe
at least a week ahead to make the sourdough starter and dough.