Spiced Citrus Baked Octopus with Rosemary Wedges

Prepare Octopus and Potatoes

1. 1Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. 2If your octopus is not pre-cooked, place it in a large pot with water, a bay leaf (optional), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20-30 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and let it cool slightly. If using pre-cooked octopus, skip this step.
3. 3Place the potato wedges in a large bowl. Drizzle with half of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly.
4. 4Arrange the seasoned potato wedges on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.

Bake the Octopus

1. 1While the potatoes are roasting, pat the octopus dry. Cut it into large pieces if it's a whole octopus, or leave as is if using smaller tentacles.
2. 2In a separate bowl, combine the remaining olive oil, smashed garlic cloves, chopped rosemary, and paprika. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon and half an orange into the mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
3. 3Add the octopus pieces to the marinade and toss to coat them thoroughly. Let it marinate for at least 10 minutes while the potatoes finish their initial roasting.
4. 4After the potatoes have roasted for 20 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Add the marinated octopus pieces and the remaining lemon and orange halves (cut-side down) to the baking sheet with the potatoes.
5. 5Return the baking sheet to the oven and continue roasting for another 25-30 minutes, or until the octopus is slightly crispy and the potatoes are tender and golden brown. The citrus will caramelize and add flavor.

Serve

1. 1Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Squeeze the roasted lemon and orange halves over the octopus and potatoes for extra freshness.
2. 2Serve the Polvo à Lagareiro hot, garnished with a few extra rosemary sprigs if desired.