I confess I was very hesitant to propose this recipe on the blog! After all, who hasn’t cooked a simple octopus salad with potatoes in their life? Yet, recently, I discovered how this is not entirely true! The doubts and questions are still many and relevant, because cooking this seemingly simple dish presents quite a few pitfalls! So I will try to debunk some myths about it! The main question is mainly related to the state of the octopus. Many wonder if it is better to buy fresh octopus rather than frozen! The octopus is the exception that proves the rule. In reality, cold temperatures remain the optimal way to tenderize its meat. That’s why my advice, which is also primarily that of those who fish it, is to freeze the fresh octopus in the freezer for at least two days, then thaw and cook it. Only this way, after cooking, the octopus will not be rubbery at all but, on the contrary, tender and digestible, thus obtaining the best result! Obviously, once thawed, the octopus must be consumed within 24 hours. Once you have frozen it, be aware that dipping the octopus three times in boiling water to curl its tentacles is absolutely useless! Another thing to know is that boiling it in a lot of water disperses the flavor. So, depending on the weight, adjust accordingly. The cooking times are quite long, about 50 minutes*, which reduce to just over twenty minutes in a pressure cooker. Never salt it before, but rather at the end, when it is cooked, and without overdoing it. When you can sink the prongs of a fork or skewer at the junction between the tentacles and the head, you will be sure it is ready! Turn it off and let it cool completely in its cooking water. Only then can you remove it and make your recipes. Therefore, the preparation phase is quite delicate, but if you follow these little tricks, it will be impossible to go wrong and you will impeccably bring to the table one of the tastiest dishes of our culinary tradition. And bon appétit!

Difficulty: Medium
Cost: Economical
Rest time: 1 Hour
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Portions: 4
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients:

2.2 lbs octopus (already cleaned)
4 potatoes (medium)
2 1/3 cups vegetable broth
3 leaves bay leaf
4 berries juniper
1 lemon juice
1 bunch parsley
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
to taste salt
to taste white pepper

Tools:

2 Pots
1 Knife
1 Lid
1 Fork
1 Salad bowl

Preparation:

In a pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil without salting, adding the bay leaves and juniper berries. Once boiling, dip the octopus tentacles in the boiling water three times to curl them before fully submerging it (fig. 1).
Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and let it cook for about 45 minutes. In any case, it will be ready only when the prongs of a fork find no resistance when inserted. Turn off the heat and let the octopus cool in its cooking water for at least 1 hour (fig. 2).
In the meantime, wash the potatoes and boil them in another pot for about 25 minutes. Turn off the heat, let them cool slightly, peel them, and cut them into regular chunks (fig. 3).
Drain the octopus, cut it in half, and then cut it into pieces, including the head (fig. 4).
Combine them with the potatoes in a large salad bowl (fig. 5).
Prepare a dressing with the oil, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper. Flavor with chopped parsley and gently mix to season (fig. 6).
Serve at room temperature.
And voilà… your octopus and potato salad is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from FeFè’s kitchen!