Octopus

[Hoods]

I remebmer a story told by my Grandfather told about one of the few permanent residents of Broughton Island who utilised the services of the Island Goat when an Occy was to hand. He would hang it from a tree or fence or whatever and let the goat chew it for a few days to "soften it up" ready for consumption.

Another story of the cow washed out to sea in the 55 floods who took up residence on the island - The Island days!!

National Sparks & Wild Fires don't like residents on Their island anymore.

[mark_s]

I take my kids snorkelling in the shallower waters of the lower port hacking.  We often find occys. They make a nest in the sandy bottom, which is basically a hole and you see their eyes peering out watching you.  Funny thing is that they decorate their nest with shells, which makes them pretty easy to find. Maybe it’s a mating thing?   
 

if you want to find someone who hates occys it’s lobster fisherman.  They are smart enough to get in the traps and they love eating the crays.

Edited August 24, 2021 by mark_s

[JimT]

1 hour ago, Yowie said:

The small portable cement mixer is what is used at times. Chuck the dead occy in and let it tumble about for a few hours.

Make sure there is no cement inside 

Years ago I remember seeing a cement mixer full of Octopi being "tenderised" at the fish shops at the Sydney Fish Markets.

Another tenderiser is mixing a few Kiwi Fruit mashed up with the occi in the fridge for a few hours/overnight then wash and cook as required.

Jim 

[Green Hornet]

10 hours ago, Yowie said:

Hopefully you meant a crab  🤣

Oooops!

Even spell check didn't pick that one up, haha.

[Green Hornet]

This thread inspired me to watch a documentary on Netflix called My Octopus Teacher. I highly recommend it if you have access.

@mark_s The octopus in this show was being stalked by a carpet shark and when it was vulnerable it picked up a stack of shells along its tentacles and held them over it's body like a shield and survived the attack. Perhaps this could explain why you see the shells around the occys out in the open in The Hacking.

[Dee Why Jim]

Thanks for the article Warren - helping us all get through lockdown.  The visual of an octopus wielding two knives as it tries to escape is fantastic - wont be able to keep a straight face next time I see an octopus at the fish markets.  

This might be outside the scope of a fishing site but as I am stuck at home behind a desk through I would share.  I had a job about 8 years ago that got me to South Korea.  We had a local agent and visited customers and other boring stuff.  After one visit Suhwan asked if I was up for a traditional local lunch.  Only possible answer was "no problem".  We went to an old building right on the coast - jutted out into a shallow bay that was a mud flat at low tide.  I was told that the local delicacy was octopus.  "No problem - I like BBQed octopus".  "No not cooked - it will be raw - like of sushi style" 

A small octopus with legs about 12 inches long soon arrived, wriggling on a plate.   I didn't ask but assume it had come from the bay over my left shoulder or maybe from under the floor we were sitting on - not table or chairs in this less than fancy joint.  There was a momentary pause from the Koreans - I guess allowing me the opportunity to bail out  - before a pair of scissors was produced and the octopus was quickly turned into a plate of wriggling pieces about an inch long.

Before we tucked into the writhing mass there was a safety warning.  "Dont eat them too quickly and make sure you chew them properly".  This was probably unnecessary as I wasn't planning on going too hard but I answering with  "Ok, but why the warning?"  "People have died if they swallow too many without chewing because legs will attached themselves to the back of your throat and strangle you to death".    Yikes !!  I was part way through a jug of Korean beer and wondered if I would need the remainder to combat the octopus if came for me.

As advised they were still very much  "alive" and sucked onto the inside of your cheek and tongue and it was actually quite hard to chew and swallow each segment.   Heeding the safety warning I worked my way through my share of the 8 legs and had a few more beers and we went on our way back into Seoul.

The taste?  As you may have guessed very much like garden hose with a touch of salt.  

[Yowie]

Korean food is a bit different, and not my style of food. 

A Korean friend liked  good quality Chinese food, so we ate that while he visited Aus. One night he wanted what Aussie's drank, I suggested Jim Beam bourbon, so he ordered the whole bottle which 3 of us drank with tea. A bit too hard to drive home after that, plus a cocktail or 3. 🤣

[kingie chaser]

2 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

This thread inspired me to watch a documentary on Netflix called My Octopus Teacher. I highly recommend it if you have access.

@mark_s The octopus in this show was being stalked by a carpet shark and when it was vulnerable it picked up a stack of shells along its tentacles and held them over it's body like a shield and survived the attack. Perhaps this could explain why you see the shells around the occys out in the open in The Hacking.

They are highly intelligent creatures & amazing to watch

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNo_xQ7NvTr31naPAcjQWjg

They are pretty creepy though, especially when they grab hold of you & wont let go.

But they do taste good when done right😁

[JimT]

On 8/24/2021 at 8:17 PM, jot said:

Years ago I remember seeing a cement mixer full of Octopi being "tenderised" at the fish shops at the Sydney Fish Markets.

Another tenderiser is mixing a few Kiwi Fruit mashed up with the occi in the fridge for a few hours/overnight then wash and cook as required.

Jim 

Having been inspired by the talk of cooking octopus I made an Baby Octopus and potato salad for dinner tonight.

All gone!!!!!

https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/spanish-potato-salad-grilled-octopus

Jim

[kingie chaser]

8 hours ago, jot said:

Having been inspired by the talk of cooking octopus I made an Baby Octopus and potato salad for dinner tonight.

All gone!!!!!

https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/spanish-potato-salad-grilled-octopus

Jim

Nice work.