Sauteed Baby Octopi

I just love the nearby specialty market!  There's always something new... and once in a while, I find unusual, or even rare, items!

This time I found baby octopi!  They're great sauteed in olive oil with garlic, olives and chilies!

The recipe: 

10 to 12 pieces baby octopi
1/4 cup olive oil
ginger slices
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 to 3 pieces sun-dried chilis
1 to 2 tablespoons sliced olives
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 lemon

Clean the baby octopi (empty the heads and rinse very well; pat dry.  Scrub the tentacles well.).

Over low heat, saute the ginger, garlic and chilis.  On high heat, add the baby octopi and the olives.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  When the octopi turn purple, turn off the heat.  Squeeze the lemon over and give the dish a quick stir fry.

We found the octopi less tender and just bit tougher than squid but it was tasty all the same!