Ingredients

• 1 carrot
• roughly chopped
• 1 white onion
• roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 peppercorns
• 1 tbsp rock salt
• 1 octopus (about 2kg/4lb 8oz)
• innards and beak removed
• cleaned
• ½ celeriac
• cut into large chunks
• 1 fennel bulb (or 4 baby fennel bulbs)
• cut into large chunks
• fronds reserved in water for the garnish
• 1 garlic clove
• crushed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• plus extra for frying
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 apple
• peeled
• halved and cored
• 6–8 octopus tentacles
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cooking juices
• reserved from the garnish (above)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp fine liquorice powder
• plus a pinch to serve
• fresh tarragon leaves
• to garnish
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the octopus
• put all the ingredients except the octopus in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to the boil before adding the octopus. Simmer for about 1½ hours until the octopus is tender. Do check regularly using the tip of a knife; once you can easily cut through the flesh strain the octopus
• and leave overnight in the fridge. Discard the head and the liquid.
• For the fruit and vegetable garnish
• preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Place the celeriac and fennel on a sheet of kitchen foil and season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic clove
• olive oil and thyme. Wrap in the foil and seal tightly. Bake for 20–30 minutes (depending on the size of the chunks)
• or until tender.
• In the meantime
• slice each half of apple into three even wedges. Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan and fry the apple wedges on each side until golden
• but not cooked through. Set aside until ready to serve.
• When the vegetables are cooked
• remove them from the foil and reserve any cooking juices (to use in the dressing).
• For the octopus tentacles
• slice the tentacles into chunks. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Once the pan is hot
• fry the tentacles until crisp. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the liquorice dressing
• put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together to create a split vinaigrette. Dress with tarragon leaves and an extra pinch of liquorice powder.
• To serve
• divide the roasted vegetables between serving plates
• top with the octopus and finish with the dressing and fennel fronds.