Serves 4
The traditional anticucho sauce perfectly complements all the fresh seafood in this rustic dish. An ideal accompaniment for it are golden potato slices and boiled corn.
1 small octopus
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
1 medium potato
8 ounces calamari, cut in rings
8 ounces shrimp, cleaned
8 ounces scallops, cleaned
2 tablespoons ají panca paste
3 garlic cloves, mashed
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup olive oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
1. To cook the octopus, add water, bay leaves, and salt to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Holding the octopus by the head, dip the tip of the tentacles in the boiling water. They will curl immediately. Place the octopus in the saucepan, add the potato, and cook. When the potato is tender, the octopus will be tender too. Transfer to a chopping board and let cool to room temperature.
2. Cut the octopus in ½-inch slices and combine with the calamari, shrimp, and scallops in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In another bowl, combine the ají panca paste, garlic, paprika, dried oregano, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add this sauce to the seafood and mix well. This can be covered and refrigerated for up to 30 minutes before cooking.
4. Heat a griddle over medium-high heat. Add the seafood and cook for about 4 minutes, turning once, or until the shrimp turn pink and the scallops look opaque.
5. Serve at once.
You can serve this dish in the form of anticuchos (kebabs). You can also make it just with fish, or just with one kind of seafood if you prefer.