Octopus Naengchae
Steamed King Crab, Mustard, Pine Nuts, Dongchimi Granita, Watermelon Radish, Kohlrabi
Chef Nate Kuester of NARO | New York
Yield: 12 servings
INGREDIENTS:
Dongchimi Granita:
200 grams dongchimi
30 grams brown rice vinegar
2 grams salt
Watermelon Radish:
1 watermelon radish, thinly shaved
1 quart dongchimi brine
Braised Octopus:
One 4-pound Spanish octopus
1 cup soju
¼ teaspoon dried kelp
4 scallions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Mustard Sauce:
300 grams Korean mustard paste
325 grams rice vinegar
15 grams lemon juice
120 grams olive oil
100 grams sugar
5 grams salt
Pine Nut Condiment:
200 grams chopped pine nuts
50 grams dongchimi brine
20 grams corn syrup
20 grams canola oil
10 grams sesame oil
2 grams salt
Steamed King Crab:
2 king crab claws
To Assemble and Serve:
15 grams julienned kohlrabi
METHOD:
For the Dongchimi Granita:
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Transfer to a nonreactive container and freeze.
For the Watermelon Radish:
In a nonreactive container, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate and let sit 24 hours.
For the Braised Octopus:
Place octopus in a shallow baking dish. Cover with water and let soak overnight. The next day, rinse octopus. Set aside. In a large rondeau over medium-high heat, combine soju, dashima, scallions, garlic, 3 quarts water, and rinsed octopus. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer 2 hours. Remove from heat and let cool. Slice tentacles into ½-centimeter pieces.
For the Mustard Sauce:
Add all ingredients to a Vitamix blender. Purée until smooth. Set aside.
For the Pine Nut Condiment:
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Set aside.
For the Steamed King Crab:
Add king crab claws to a steamer. Steam 10 minutes. Let cool. Pick meat and set aside.
To Assemble and Serve:
Spoon generous amount of Mustard Sauce into the bottom of a small serving bowl. Top with 5 pieces Braised Octopus and 5 pieces Steamed King Crab. Drizzle 1 teaspoon Pine Nut Condiment over the seafood. Cover completely with Watermelon Radish slices. Top with 3 spoonfuls Dongchimi Granita. Garnish with kohlrabi.