Warm Octopus and Potato Salad
17/11/2023Absolutely yes! The warm octopus and potato salad is a classic of Mediterranean cuisine. I’m providing you with a basic recipe, remember that if you don’t have some of the ingredients I could suggest some alternatives, and as a true Italian chef, I will also suggest an Italian twist to the dish.
Ingredients
- 1 large octopus (about 1-1.2 kg)
- 6-8 medium-sized potatoes
- Chopped fresh parsley
- 1 lemon (juice)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coarse salt
- Black pepper (optional)
Preparation
- First, clean the octopus by removing the eyes and beak, then rinse it well under running water.
- Put a large pot with plenty of salted water to boil. Once the water boils, grab the octopus by the head and dip it three times for a few seconds in the boiling water to curl it. After this process, submerge it completely and let it cook for about 40 minutes (check the cooking by piercing a tentacle with a fork, it should enter without difficulty).
- In the meantime, wash the potatoes and cook them in slightly salted water until they are soft.
- Once the octopus is cooked, turn off the heat and let it cool in the cooking water, so it will remain tender.
- Drain the potatoes, peel them (if you prefer the texture with the skin you can also leave them that way) and cut them into cubes or slices.
- Pull the octopus out of the water, chop it into not too small pieces and combine with the potatoes.
- Season with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh parsley. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve warm to best enjoy all the flavors.
It’s important not to overcook the octopus to avoid it becoming rubbery. For an all-Italian touch, you can add a drizzle of Modena balsamic vinegar to your salad to give a more decisive and sweet-and-sour flavor at the same time.
A curiosity: it is said that the perfect cooking of the octopus is achieved by immersing a cork in the cooking water, which would contribute to making the meat of the octopus more tender. There is no scientific evidence to support this belief, but many cooks continue to follow this Italian culinary tradition.
