Octopus

Suckers and tentacles make some people shudder but in most countries octopus is considered a delicacy. There are 300 species; in our experience the best eating octopus come from Spain, Portugal and Morocco. A large octopus can be on the chewy side of firm, but a good long simmer - at least an hour - will give it the perfect bite. Here's a classy recipe with fennel and liquorice from Michel Roux Jr.