Your Kitchen Overlord foolishly tried to transport herself out of the Level 5 Biohazard zone. Luckily, minion Kirsten Wright of Food Replicator was able to scramble her reassembly without actually creating a Riker-like duplicate incident. We think. As a reward for keeping our Overlord and her rather aggressive virus safely contained, we gave her free reign in the kitchen. This is what she made.
Guest Post by Kirsten Wright
Klingon Octopus
In trawling through the dishes shown on Star Trek, Klingon food definitely stands out. Like the Klingon culture itself, Klingon food is often confronting but is also interesting, somewhat quirky and definitely has the potential to be delicious. While there are plenty of dishes using organ meats, Klingons also do eat their vegetables if they look mean enough. This recipe definitely falls under the category of scary-looking but actually lovely – much like many of the Klingons we meet in Star Trek!
This dish comes from one of my favourite wacky Next Generation episodes – where the crew starts de-evolving thanks to perrenial bumbler, Reg Barclay (TNG: Genesis). What better way to enjoy your de-evolution than by eating Klingon Octopus?! Octopus needs to either be cooked for a very short or very long time – it can be very rubbery if cooked for a medium length of time. For this recipe, I felt that cooking it on a low temperature was a better option for the large pieces of octopus. Cooking the pearl couscous in the sauce from the octopus also means the couscous picks up lots of that delicious flavour.
Replicate your own
(Serves 2-3 for a main course if there are no side dishes, or 4 with other dishes)
1kg / 2.2 pounds octopus, chopped into large pieces
1 tin crushed tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1-2 teaspoons capers
250ml / 8.5 fl oz dry white wine (or substitute water)
250g / 8 oz pearl couscous (or substitute standard couscous)
2 sprigs parsley, chopped
Olive oil for cooking
Chop the onions and garlic and sautee in olive oil until soft. Add the white wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and capers and bring to the boil. When boiling, add the octopus pieces, and turn down the heat and cover.
Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the octopus is soft and can be pierced with a fork.
When the octopus is cooked, remove from the saucepan and bring the sauce back to the boil. Add the pearl couscous and stir until it is cooked, about 5 minutes.
Serve in an appropriate Klingon style with lettuce or salad greens. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the top for a garnish. Hope that Reg Barclay is not nearby.
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