Peruvian Octopus with padrón peppers
Chica, chef Lorena Garcia’s restaurant with three locations, in Miami, Las Vegas and a brand new one in Aspen, Colo., has added this dish to the menu at all three locations, made by simmering octopus in its own juice with orange, lemon, lime, bay leaves and cilantro root until it’s tender. Then the octopus and blistered padrón peppers — a mild variety from Spain — are skewered, brushed with mojo rojo (made with Fresno chiles, garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander and olive oil) and grilled over smoldering coals to give them a smokier flavor.
They’re dressed with quinoa that has been fried to make it crispy, a sauce made with ají amarillo, onions, garlic, olive oil, evaporated milk and lemon juice, and what Garcia calls Brazilian Pico, which is a combination of tomatoes, onions, jalapeño peppers and other chiles blended with vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, cilantro, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Price: $25