Grilled Pulpo a la Gallega with Lemon-Garlic Aioli

Prepare and tenderize octopus

1. If using a frozen octopus, fully defrost and rinse under cold water; trim any tough tips.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil with 1 tbsp coarse sea salt; optionally add a bay leaf for aroma.
3. Dip the octopus three times into the boiling water (to curl the tentacles), then fully submerge and simmer gently for 30–40 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife.
4. Remove the octopus and let rest in its cooking liquid for 10 minutes, then cut into 1–2 inch thick pieces or separate tentacles.

Cook potatoes

1. While the octopus simmers, boil the potato rounds in salted water until tender, about 10–12 minutes depending on thickness.
2. Drain potatoes and keep warm; arrange on serving plates just before plating the octopus.

Grill and finish octopus

1. Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat and brush grates with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Brush octopus pieces lightly with 1–2 tbsp olive oil and place on the hot grill; char for 1–2 minutes per side until slightly crisp and smoky.
3. Remove grilled octopus and arrange over the warm potato rounds; drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle smoked paprika and chopped parsley.

Make lemon-garlic aioli

1. In a mortar or bowl, crush garlic with a pinch of salt until a smooth paste forms; transfer to a bowl with the egg yolk and lemon juice.
2. Whisk the yolk and garlic while slowly streaming in the 5 1/8 fl oz olive oil to create an emulsion; season with salt and adjust lemon to taste.
3. If the aioli is too thick, thin with a teaspoon of warm water; refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve

1. Spoon a little aioli alongside or under the octopus and potatoes; finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a final dusting of smoked paprika.
2. Serve immediately while hot, with crusty bread and lemon wedges on the side.