More One BIG Recipe: Exquisite Seafood Buffet

Difficulty:

1/5

Servings: 4

Ease of Preparation: Medium

Shopping List

Pantry:	On hand:	Need (Minimum):	Yes/no:
Ancho chilies		3
Chipotle		1
Apple cider vinegar		¾ cup (180 ml)
Honey		3 tablespoons
Vegetable oil		½ cup (120 ml) +
Salt	X
Olive oil		¾ cup (180 ml)
Smoked paprika		1 tablespoon (15 ml)
Canned chickpeas		1 x 15 ounce (425 g)
Sherry vinegar		2 ½ tablespoons (45 ml)
White vinegar		½ cup (120 ml)
Sugar		1/3 cup (80 ml)
Mustard seeds		1 teaspoon (5 ml)
Coriander seeds		1 teaspoon (5 ml)
Bay leaves		6
Mayo		2 1/3 cups (550 ml)
Dijon mustard		2 tablespoons (30 ml)
Worcestershire		2 teaspoons (10 ml)
Hot sauce		½ teaspoon (2.5 ml)
Saltine crackers		¾ cup (180 ml)
Balsamic vinegar		2 tablespoons (30 ml)

Dairy:
Ricotta salatta		½ cup (120 ml)
Egg		1
Baby bocconcini		7 ounces (198 g)
Parmesan		3 ½ ounces (99g)

Bakery:
Day old bread		4-5 slices

Produce:
Garlic		2 ½ heads
Roasted red peppers		2
Red chilies		1 pound (454 g)
Padron peppers		12 ounces (340 g)
Parsley		2 tablespoons (30 ml)
Roma tomatoes		2 pounds (907 g)
English cucumber		½
Green bell pepper		1
Cherry tomatoes		2 pints (32 ounces)
Oregano		4 sprigs
Tarragon		8 sprigs
Basil		6 sprigs
Strawberries		18 ounces (510 g)
Baby arugula		2 cups (470 ml)

Butcher:
Morcilla sausage		1

Fishmonger:
Octopus		1
Cod		1 pound (454 g)

Mise en Place, about 1.5 hours before dinner

Roast the Garlic:
- Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C).
- Place the garlic heads on a sheet tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt.
- Roast until the garlic is fragrant, golden, and soft, 30-40 minutes.
Cook the Octopus:
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil.
- Add the octopus, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, red pepper, and tomato, and immediately turn the heat down to a simmer. Simmer the octopus until tender, 45-60 minutes.
Cook the Cod:
- In a pot over medium-low heat, combine the cod, bay leaves, and water. Bring to a simmer and allow the fish to cook until opaque and flaky, 10-12 minutes.
Roast the Cherry Tomatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).
- Place the halved tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Season with salt and drizzle with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the olive oil. Scatter the stems from the oregano, tarragon, and basil amongst the tomatoes.
- Transfer the tray to the oven and roast until the tomatoes are aromatic and tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Make the Cod Cakes:
- Strain the fish out of the poaching liquid onto a plate and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, egg, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, flake the cooled fish and combine with the saltines and parsley.
- Fold the mayonnaise mixture into the cod mixture, combine well, and form into patties.
- Place the cod cakes on a tray and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Pickle the Chillies:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
- Add the mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and bay leaves. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer.
- Pack the chilis into a heatproof jar. Carefully pour the simmering mixture over the chilis. Allow to cool to room temperature and reserve until needed.

Get cookin’! – about an hour before dinner

Make the Chili Glaze:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, toast the ancho and chipotle peppers, turning often until fragrant and pliable, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the vinegar, honey, and garlic and allow the mixture to come to a simmer.
- Once simmering, remove the pan from the heat and allow to steep at room temperature until the chiles are softened, roughly 20 minutes.
- Allow the garlic to cool to room temperature.
Make the Gazpacho:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Cut an ‘x’ in the bottom of the tomatoes. Drop the tomatoes, in batches, into the water and allow to cook for 35-40 seconds.
- Strain the tomatoes out of the water onto a tray and allow to cool enough to handle. Peel and discard the skins.
- In a blender, combine the peeled tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic, saltine crumbs, vinegar, and water. Blend on high speed until well combined and smooth.
- While the blender is running, stream in the olive oil. Season with salt.
- Transfer the gazpacho to a container and refrigerate until well chilled, at least, 30 minutes.
Blend the Chili Glaze:
- Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. While the machine is running, stream in the oil to emulsify. Season with salt and reserve.
Make the Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise:
- Squeeze the roasted garlic into a bowl. Add the mayonnaise and stir to combine. Refrigerate until needed.
Cook and serve the Cod Cakes:
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, coat pan with oil and heat until shimmering.
- Add the cod cakes and cook, in batches, until golden and crispy, 3-5 minutes per side.
- Drain the cod cakes on a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.
- Serve the cod cakes with Roasted Garlic Mayo on the side.

Dinner time! – about 10 minutes before dinner

Serve the Gazpacho
- Pour the gazpacho into chilled bowls, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve immediately.

Take a break, sit down and enjoy…

Do the Salad Mise en Place:
- Allow the tomatoes to cool to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the roasted tomatoes, strawberries, arugula, bocconcini, and Parmesan.
- Add the leaves of the oregano, tarragon, and basil, season with salt and pepper, and gently toss to combine.
Dress and Serve the Salad:
- Drizzle the remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar onto the salad, gently toss again, and serve immediately.

Take another break! You’re doing so well!

Serve the Octopus and Padron Peppers:
- Preheat the grill to high and brush with oil
- Strain the octopus out of the water and onto a sheet pan and pat dry.
- Transfer the octopus to the grill and cook, turning, until charred all over, 4- 5 minutes. Brush the octopus with the sauce in the last minute of cooking.
- Transfer the octopus to a tray and brush again with the sauce.
- While the octopus is grilling, make the Chickpea Salad: in a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat combine the morcilla and olive oil. Press down lightly on the morcilla to release its oil and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent and softened, 3-4 minutes.
- Raise the heat to medium and add the smoked paprika, chickpeas, and roasted red peppers.
- Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing often, until the chickpeas are tender, 7-8 minutes.
- Add the sherry vinegar, toss to coat, and serve immediately, alongside the Chili-Glazed Octopus.

- Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet large enough to fit the peppers in a single layer over high heat.
- Once the oil is shimmering and hot, add the peppers. Cook without moving until blistered on one side, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Flip and shake the peppers in the pan until blistered on all sides, about 1 ½ minutes total.
- Season with salt and turn out onto a serving platter.
- Spoon some of the pickled chilis around the Padrons. Sprinkle the ricotta overtop and serve immediately.