Greek · Authentic-ish Greek
Htapodi sta Karvouna
247 kcal a serving, against 432 for the traditional version. That is 185 kcal off, or 43%, with 37.5g of protein. Serves 4. 60 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A whole octopus, tenderised through slow boiling, then thrown onto a blistering grill until blackened at the edges. The chopped tentacles are completely submerged in a heavy emulsion of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice and dried oregano. You'll usually see it served with a basket of white bread to soak up the massive puddle of fat left on the plate.
What changed, and what each change costs
100g of olive oil down to 15g
Olive oil is pure liquid fat. Pouring a massive glug over the finished plate adds nothing but calories and covers up the taste of the seafood. A tiny drizzle is more than enough to carry the dried herbs across the meat.
What it costs you. You lose the classic taverna experience of mopping up a thick pool of seasoned oil with a huge chunk of bread. This dressing is much thinner and doesn't coat the plate in the same way.
50g of lemon juice up to 100g
With the oil gone, the dressing desperately needs volume and punch. Doubling the lemon juice gives the octopus a brilliant acidic bite that cuts right through the smoky char from the grill.
What it costs you. The citrus flavour is entirely dominant. If you hate sharp food, this dressing will make you wince. It lacks the mellow, round finish that a massive hit of olive oil provides.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 432 | 247 |
| Protein | 37.4g | 37.5g |
| Fat | 27.7g | 6.5g |
| Saturated fat | 4g | 1.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 7.2g | 8.1g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 8.7g | 15.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Greek prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. molluscs.
The method is in the book
The fierce heat of the grill is what makes this dish work. By ditching the heavy oil slick, you actually taste the sweet, smoky meat. The aggressive lemon dressing wakes everything up perfectly. I'll happily admit I prefer this to the original taverna version.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Greek, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback