Chilean Octopus Chupe — Homemade Chupe de Pulpo Recipe

Versión en Español

Chilean chupe de pulpo is a creamy seafood casserole of tender octopus pieces cooked with onion, red pepper, garlic, and white wine, thickened with bread soaked in cream, and gratinated with cheese in clay dishes. It takes 30 minutes of preparation plus 50 minutes of cooking and serves 4 people.

It is a delicious and perhaps less common version of chupe that is well worth trying, since the mix of sea and earthy flavors is a combination that works very well.

How to Make Chilean Octopus Chupe?

Ideally use fresh octopus, although good quality frozen octopus also works as long as it is completely thawed. The octopus is boiled until tender, chopped, and simmered in a sofrito with wine and its own broth, then thickened with creamy soaked bread and finished under the grill with cheese.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of octopus chupe contains approximately 650 kcal, 40 g of carbohydrates, 35 g of fat, 45 g of protein, 3 g of fiber, 5 g of sugars, 185 mg of cholesterol, and 700 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade Chilean Chupe de Pulpo Recipe

Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2.2 lb) of octopus
• 500 ml (17 fl oz) of cream
• 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) of white wine
• 10 slices of sandwich bread
• 1 onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• Olive oil
• Merken
• Oregano
• Fresh parsley
• Grated cheese
• Fine sea salt
• Black pepper

Instructions

1. If the octopus is fresh, freeze it overnight to tenderize it and thaw it before cooking. Place it in a large pot, cover with boiling water, and cook for 40 minutes or until the flesh is tender. Let it cool in the cooking liquid, then take it out, reserve about 300 ml of the broth, pat the octopus dry, and cut it into 1 cm pieces.

2. Trim the crusts off the bread slices, cut them into quarters, spread them in a baking dish, and pour the cream over them. Let them soak for about 10 minutes, then mash with a fork until smooth. In a medium frying pan, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat.

3. Add the finely diced onion and bell pepper and saute until the onion looks glossy and translucent. Add the chopped octopus and season with oregano, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. Pour in the white wine, stir, and let it reduce over low heat.

4. Add the reserved broth and cook over medium heat until it starts to bubble, then stir in the bread and cream mixture to thicken, and add grated cheese and merken to taste. Divide among individual clay dishes and put them in the oven for a few minutes to brown. Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley.

Additional Tips

Tenderize without freezing

As an alternative to freezing, pound the octopus with a meat mallet to break up the muscle fibers and help it turn out more tender.

Deepen the broth

For a deeper flavor, replace part of the octopus cooking liquid with fish stock to give the chupe extra richness.

Cut small, even pieces

Pieces of about 1 cm spread through the creamy base so there is octopus in every spoonful, and they stay tender under the gratin.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why freeze fresh octopus first?

Freezing breaks down the muscle fibers of the octopus, so the finished dish is more tender and less rubbery. It is not strictly required, but it is highly recommended.

2. What is the most common mistake when cooking octopus?

Cooking it over high heat or for too short a time. Octopus needs slow, steady cooking for a long time so its collagen breaks down.

3. Which white wine should I use?

A dry white wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc or an unoaked Chardonnay, which adds acidity and freshness without sweetening the dish or masking the seafood. Avoid sweet or very fruity wines.

4. Can I make chupe without an oven?

Yes. Cook the mixture in a covered pot over low heat until it thickens and the cheese melts. To brown the top, use a kitchen torch or a covered nonstick pan over high heat for 2 minutes.

What Is Chupe?

In Chile, chupe is a thick, creamy casserole of seafood or meat bound with bread soaked in milk or cream and gratinated with cheese, traditionally served in individual clay dishes. The best known versions are made with locos, crab, and machas, and octopus is a less common but excellent option.

Octopus in Chilean Cooking

Octopus is caught along the northern and central Chilean coast, and much of the catch has traditionally been exported. At home it is grilled, turned into ceviche, or used in stews and chupes like this one.

Did You Know?

Octopus has become much more popular in Chile in recent years thanks to the boom of sushi restaurants, which put it on menus across the country.

Recommended

• Chilean Grilled Octopus Recipe
• Octopus Ceviche Recipe
• Chilean Abalone Chupe Recipe
• Chilean Crab Chupe Recipe