Divya Gunani: Hi! I’m Divya Gugnani and today, we’re at the Ye Waverly Inn. A spot so exclusive that it doesn’t even have a phone number. To get inside and get a reservation, you either need to be somebody or know somebody. But we’re taking you Behind the Burner. Let’s go inside and meet chef.
We’re at the Waverly Inn with the executive Chef and partner, John Delucie. John, what are you making for us this afternoon?
John Delucie: We have maybe octopus with fennel, and Cerignola olives and watercress.
Divya Gunani: Let’s get started.
John Delucie: All right and I have the octopus right here.
Divya Gunani: What kind of octopus?
John Delucie: This are octopus that are coming from Spain which have been—I’ve taken the which called the beak out of the middle of them. They catch this in Spain and they’re flash-frozen which actually tenderizes them.
Divya Gunani: And the tenders—they shouldn’t really just breaking down the mussels so it become soft. So that when you bite into it and you cook it, it’s tender and juicy. It’s not kind of rubbery and doesn’t have that kind of consistency.
John Delucie: Years ago, they use—take this and catch them and hit them against the rock. And that’s where they do to tenderize them.
Divya Gunani: Oh! The Old Italian—break the mussels.
John Delucie: It’s known to us. So this is a very good product. I really like it. What I want to do is I want these little tentacles really charged.
Divya Gunani: You like that kind of charge grilled to it? And also, it adds a little depth of flavor.
John Delucie: Yes I am.
Divya Gunani: The smokiness.
John Delucie: Otherwise—because these are not cooked—precooked when it become a raw steak. It really needs--
Divya Gunani: And needs a proper cook.
John Delucie: Yeah it really does. And in the mean time, let’s sit up this while this is cooking. Now these are Cerignola olives. These are from Bulgaria where my ancestries from. And they’re known to be the biggest olives on earth.
Divya Gunani: You’re massive.
John Delucie: They’re massive and as you can see, they’re juicy and they’re like a plum almost.
Divya Gunani: They are.
John Delucie: They’re sweet and—
Divya Gunani: I mean they’re huge, look at this.
John Delucie: Octopus is really nice you can its opening up in here.
Divya Gunani: Yeah and it’s kind of bouncing up.
John Delucie: Bouncing up. It’s very springy.
Divya Gunani: Yeah I’ve got the spine.
John Delucie: Yup there you go.
Divya Gunani: I don’t want to touch that.
John Delucie: I just hopefully it won’t bite you. So I’m going to add a little bit more of olive and then I’m going to take off the grill and I’m going to cut it half. And you can see scored. This is a cool thing.
Divya Gunani: Yeah exactly.
John Delucie: It’s scored between the tentacles.
Divya Gunani: And why do score it, so it will open like that in a beautiful presentation?
John Delucie: Number one, yes that’s true but number two, it cooks quicker.
Divya Gunani: It cooks quicker. So that’s your kind of tip rest.
John Delucie: Yes.
Divya Gunani: John, your octopus looks absolutely beautiful, good enough to eat. What do we have here?
John Delucie: This is oli peti, which is a baby octopus from Bulo Imports and available from Milo Gourmet. And what we have here is a real octopus on a salad of fennel watercress and Cerignola olives, and lemon vinaigrettes.
Divya Gunani: All right and you serve it as an appetizer here at the Waverly. I’m destroying your beautiful presentation here.
John Delucie: That’s exactly the point.
Divya Gunani: But it’s really amazing how it cooks so easily with the fork and knife. It’s not remotely rubbery.
John Delucie: You take a look at how buttery it is. It’s really gorgeous.
Divya Gunani: Yeah well I’ll tell you what I think after I eat it not just because you’re my friend. Not for nothing. It’s delicious.
John Delucie: Yeah.
Divya Gunani: Behind the Burner members can enjoy this exclusive opportunity to purchase that octopus pull patti that they use it the way really in at Milo Gourmet. Stay tuned to Behind the Burner where we give you the tips, tricks, and techniques that are lighting the culinary world on fire.
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