Steps

• To prepare the octopus salad in the slow cooker, I used a frozen, pre-cleaned octopus. I took it out the night before from the freezer and let it thaw slowly in the refrigerator. By the next morning, it was ready. I just had to wash it well under water and put it in to cook.

  However, if your package does not specify that the octopus is already cleaned, or if you are using a fresh octopus (but in this case, you will have to check the cooking times yourself as I have not tried), you will need to clean it: rinse the octopus under running water, scrubbing the head and tentacles well. Dry it by patting it with paper towels: remove the eyes and beak by cutting the area with a small knife. If the octopus is fresh, it should also be beaten to break the fibers and make the meat softer. If present, extract the entrails from the sack and rinse the octopus well under running water again.

  Distribute the oil on the bottom of the slow cooker (I used only one tablespoon, but you can add a bit more). Place the octopus inside the pot with the mouth facing up (the head goes down). Add a clove of garlic and two bay leaves. Close the slow cooker with its lid and set it on HIGH for four hours. Do not add water. It’s not necessary. Rest assured, the octopus will not burn! It will produce water on its own.

  At the end of the cooking time, turn off the slow cooker and let the octopus cool inside.

• Thinly slice the onion, place it inside the steamer with water in the basket, and cook in the microwave at 750w for 5 minutes. If you like raw onion and tolerate it well, you can skip this step.

• When the octopus is cold, cut it into pieces and place it in a bowl. Add the well-drained artichoke slices, olives, lemon juice, cooked or raw onion, chopped parsley, and dress with extra virgin olive oil and salt. Mix well to distribute the dressing. Store overnight in the fridge as this salad is excellent if left to rest and enjoyed the next day.