Octopus and potato salad

I really like octopus, but it has to be very soft when you eat it. Whichever is your recipe, if you cook it for a long time and you  let it cool in its water it will become  very soft and delicious. So now you know that you have to cook it well in advance....

This is a traditional recipe and it is enough for lunch or dinner.

If you want you can serve it as an appetiser, in this case cut smaller pieces and use the tiny finger food containers which are so trendy... (make a lot)

Ingredients for 4

1-1,2 kg/2/2.5 pounds octopus (fresh or de-frozen) (1 or 2 fishes)

1 carrot - washed and diced

1 celery stick with its leaves

½ onion – diced

½ cup chopped parsley (chop it when the dish is ready)

1garlic clove

6 pepper grains

4 medium potatoes

4-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Lemon juice if you like it

How to:

1)    Clean and de-beak the octopus/es. Take the inside organs and the eyes out and throw them away.

2)    Place it in a pot of cold water with a diced onion, a garlic clove, a stick of celery and a diced carrot. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender – one and a half hours or more. It is ready when it breaks very easily. The skin will be dark red. Let the it cool in the water. 

    Peel the cooled octopus (skin and suckers will slip off like a glove) and cut it into bite-sized pieces. (sorry I forgot to make the picture, but it is very simple). 

Season with salt, and extra virgin olive oil. 

3)    Wash the potatoes very well as they will be cooked in their skins.

4)    When the potatoes are soft, drain them and, as soon as possible, (depending on how much heat your fingers can stand) peel and cut them into bite-sized pieces.

5)    Toss the potato and octopus together with some more olive oil, the juice of lemon, minced garlic, half a cup of chopped parsley, salt and pepper.

6)    Serve warm. This recipe can be prepared in advance, but remember to remove it from the fridge at least half an hour before eating.

Tip:  in order to avoid the taste of the cold potatoes, I prefer to cook the octopus well in advance, season with salt and oil  - in case refrigerate it, and add the hot potatoes and parsley before eating.