Gourmet recipe of olive oil coca with escalivada and smoked sardines prepared by chef José Cortés

The gourmet recipe that we have prepared for this occasion consists of a trampó, a characteristic dish of Mallorcan cuisine. This dish has variations throughout the Mediterranean and is especially delicious in the summer months.

However, this time we have chosen to give our trampó some different nuances, which is why, instead of following a traditional recipe, we are going to make it with fennel, which will provide a very special aniseed touch.

Inspired by northern Spain gastronomy, we are going to accompany this trampó with octopus, an excellent product of the sea of great versatility. Besides the fact of being a great source of protein, octopus will provide a delicious counterpoint to our plate.

In addition to cooking the octopus, we will toast its suckers with the blowtorch, to give it a smoky touch that will marry perfectly with the rustic touch that we want to give to this gourmet recipe, which is still easy to prepare.

On the other hand, we wanted to take advantage of this dish to teach you how to make oil powder with Treurer extra virgin olive oil, which has those fruity touches that combine perfectly with the vegetables from the trampó.

The technique to create oil powder is also simple and, as we will see, it’s only necessary to include a special ingredient: maltodextrin. Maltodextrin is a mixture of polymers that appear as a result of starch hydrolysis.

By emulsifying this ingredient, used in molecular cuisine, with olive oil we will achieve a unique and different texture that, along with Mallorca-origin sweet paprika, will give a new nuance to the trampó. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Ingredients:

For the olive oil powder

50 gr of Maltodextrin

25 ml of extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon of Tap de Cortí sweet paprika

Salt

For the trampó (2 people)

Octopus (cooked and sautéed)

1 pear tomato

1 inch of fennel

½ green bell pepper

½ white onion

10 ml of extra virgin olive oil

Flor de Sal d’Es Trenc Sri Lanka

To garnish

Salicornia

capers

lime zest

pea sprouts

Extra tools:

Blowtorch

Preparation:

Olive oil powder

The truth is that despite the recommended quantities, which can be increased to achieve more olive oil powder, its preparation is very intuitive. First of all, you can mix the sweet (or even hot if you prefer) paprika and maltodextrin in a bowl. Add more or less amount of paprika depending on the smokiness (or spiciness) you want to achieve with it.

Then add salt, since maltodextrin (being glucose polymers) tends to taste sweet, and mix well.

Now is the time to add the extra virgin olive oil little by little, stirring with a hand whisk. After a minute, you will see that a series of small stones are formed that, when crumbled, have a powder consistency. And you’ll have your olive oil powder that you can save for later.

Octopus

First of all, if you get a fresh octopus, you will need to boil it. First wash it well with plenty of cold water. Then, put a pot of water on the fire and wait until it is almost boiling.

Before completely submerging the octopus, hold it by the top and perform two ‘dips’ in and out of the water completely. Then, let it boil for the necessary time: for each kilo of octopus, the cooking time will be approximately 20 minutes. Once the cooking is finished, remove it and let it cool.

Before preparing the trampó, cook the amount of octopus you want to serve in a pan with extra virgin olive oil for a few minutes, until you manage to brown the skin. Since it’s already cooked, this process should only take a few minutes. Then, reserve the octopus until the moment before the plating.

Just before plating the trampó, you can use a blowtorch to give the suckers a toasted texture. Then you will only have to chop the octopus to place it on your plate.

Trampó

The preparation of the trampo is very simple, you just have to chop the fennel, onion, pepper and tomato into small cubes and add these vegetables to a bowl.

Continue with the extra virgin olive oil and Flor de Sal d’Es Trenc Sri Lanka, which will give this dish a very interesting citrus nuance. Mix everything well and you can now start plating.

To serve:

On your plate of choice, preferably rustic if you have the chance and want to surprise your guests, add the trampó. Then the chopped octopus on top.

Follow with some capers, which will give this dish a vinegary touch. Then add salicornia, an edible algae that complements the octopus and recalls the taste of the sea.

Grate a little lime peel, which will add a citrus nuance. And, to finish, crumble and spread the powder of extra virgin olive oil with paprika. Enjoy!