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1
Cook the octopus.
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2
If you bought cleaned octopus, the eyes should have been removed; if not.
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3
Cut them off.
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4
(Not a great way to start a recipe for most Americans, but something you need to know.)
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5
Cut open the head cavity and wash it out.
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6
Making sure the ink sac has been removed.
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7
Check to make sure the beak (the hard mouth area where all the tentacles come together) has been cut out: if not.
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8
Use a small knife to cut it away.
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9
Cut off the straggly last inch or so of each tentacle.
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10
In a large (4-quart) saucepan, combine the octopus, 1/3 of the onion, the bay and 1 teaspoon salt with 2 1/2 quarts water.
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11
Bring slowly to a simmer over medium heat.
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12
Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until very tender when pierced with a thin-blade knife, about 1 1/4 hours.
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13
(Weight with a heat-proof plate to keep submerged.)
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14
Remove the cooked octopus to cool on a plate and raise the heat to high under the pan of cooking liquid.
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15
Cook the shrimp.
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16
When the liquid comes to a boil.
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17
Add the shrimp, cover and time 1 minute.
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18
Remove from the heat.
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19
Set the lid askew and pour off all the delicious liquid-but no shrimp-into a heat-proof bowl to save for making seafood soup.
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20
Re-cover the pan and let the shrimp steam for 5 minutes, then fill the pan with cold water to stop the cooking.
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21
Let stand a minute or so.
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22
Drain thoroughly.
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23
Peel the shrimp.
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24
Make the sauce.
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25
If using fresh tomatoes, roast them on a rimmed baking sheet about 4 inches below a very hot broiler until splotchy black and thoroughly soft, 5 or 6 minutes per side.
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26
Remove and cool.
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27
While the tomatoes are cooling, reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees or heat to 425 degrees if using canned tomatoes.
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28
Spread the remaining onion and the garlic on a baking sheet and drizzle with the oil.
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29
Toss to combine.
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30
Roast.
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31
Stirring a few times, until richly browned, about 15 minutes.
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32
If you have roasted fresh tomatoes, pull off their blackened skins.
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33
Scoop the tomatoes (fresh roasted or canned roasted) into a food processor and pulse several times to chop them into small pieces.
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34
Scrape into a large bowl.
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35
Without washing the food processor, scoop in the onion and garlic, then pulse until chopped into pieces about 1/8 inch.
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36
Scrape in with the tomato and stir in the vinegar, brown sugar and hot sauce.
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37
Taste and season highly with salt.
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38
Usually about 1 1/2 teaspoons.
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39
Finish the cocktail.
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40
If youre a person who likes shrimp cocktail really cold, refrigerate the sauce until chilled.
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41
Add the octopus, shrimp, avocado and cilantro to the sauce and stir to combine.
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42
Coctel de Camaron looks beautiful presented in martini glasses or little glass bowls (especially if they are nestled into a larger bowl filled with crushed ice).
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43
Serve with crackers on the side.
