Octopus salad with parsley

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PRESENTATION

Octopus salad with parsley

Octopus salad with parsley is a tasty appetizer typical of Mediterranean cuisine that’s always a hit on our tables thanks to its freshness and goodness. It’s not difficult to make, but there may be some sneaky pitfalls, and turning this seafood recipe into a success will solely depend on cooking the octopus correctly, as it needs to come out super soft. Then, you just have to dress it in an aromatic citronette dressing made from lemon juice, parsley, oil, and a pinch of pepper to take the flavor up a notch. The secret to why this octopus salad with parsley is a resounding success lies, in fact, in its simple, timeless flavor that’s always made it an appetizer that can’t be missing from the table at parties!

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INGREDIENTS

Octopus 2.25 lbs (1 kg) - to be cleaned
Carrots 1
Celery 1 rib
Garlic 1 clove
Bay leaves 2 leaves
Ground black pepper to taste
Fine salt to taste
For the dressing
Parsley ⅓ cup (10 g)
Lemon juice 2 tbsp (10 g) - freshly squeezed
Extra virgin olive oil 2 ½ tbsp (30 g)
Black pepper 1 pinch
Fine salt 1 pinch
Preparation

How to prepare Octopus salad with parsley

To make octopus salad with parsley, first peel the carrot with a vegetable peeler, then chop it roughly 1. Do the same with the celery 2. Put a large pot of water on to boil, and add the chopped carrot, celery, an unpeeled garlic clove, the bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper 3.

Rinse the octopus under running water 4 and, once the pot of water is boiling, dip it in the boiling water several times (4-5 will be enough) 5 to get the tentacles to curl 6.

Then immerse the octopus fully and let it cook over medium heat for 40-45 minutes, with the lid on the pot 7. While the octopus is cooking, use a skimmer to remove any residue and foam that forms on the surface of the cooking water. Once the octopus has finished cooking, let it cool in the cooking water so that it softens. Next, transfer it to a cutting board: Use a knife to remove the eyes 8, then remove the beak as well. Cut across the part where the head is to remove it, then empty it 9.

Cut the tentacles into pieces around ? inch (1 cm) long 10. Chop the head into small pieces as well and place everything in a bowl. Move on to the dressing: Squeeze the lemon to get 2 tbsp (10 g) of juice 11, then wash, pat dry, and finely chop the parsley, getting rid of the stems 12.

Make the dressing by placing the parsley 13, lemon juice 14, and olive oil  15 in a small jar (to emulsify it more easily).

Season with salt and pepper 16. Close the jar 17 and shake it to form an emulsion 18.

Pour the dressing over the octopus 19, mix well 20, and serve your octopus salad with parsley right away 21!

Storage

 

You can keep the octopus salad with parsley in the fridge for 1-2 days in an airtight container. Not suitable for freezing.

Tips

If you’d like to skin the octopus, you can do so easily using a knife after it’s cooked: If you put the octopus under running water, the skin will slide off easily and without too much resistance.