Octopus and potatoes is a fresh dish typical of Mediterranean cuisine, very easy to prepare.
Suitable to be served as an appetizer, but if placed on the plate in larger quantities, it is also perfect as a main dish.
You often ask me how to make the octopus tender, and now I’ll tell you right away.
If you buy it fresh, at the fish market, it is advisable to freeze it for at least 48 hours so that, thanks to the extremely cold temperatures, it becomes more tender and less chewy.
When purchasing, it is recommended to check its coloration and appearance: the octopus should be bright and shiny.
The octopus is composed of about 80% water, which will expand and break the fibers when frozen. Freezing has the effect of relaxing the fibers, once thawed naturally.
Secondly, to cook the octopus perfectly, it must remain in its water until completely cooled; in addition, during cooking, the water should not boil vigorously, but should simmer slightly so that it never experiences temperature fluctuations.
Another fundamental element is the seasoning of the octopus and potatoes.
The emulsion with oil and lemon can be made in advance, but it should be poured over the octopus and potato salad only shortly before serving.
Have you ever wondered how to make octopus and potatoes really perfect? Read all these tips and let me know if you liked it.
Tip: You can prepare it in advance and serve it warm or at room temperature without compromising its taste. In fact, letting the salad rest for a few hours makes it even more flavorful!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4/6
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 188.44 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 18.23 (g) of which sugars 3.17 (g)
- Proteins 16.16 (g)
- Fat 6.13 (g) of which saturated 1.26 (g)of which unsaturated 0.86 (g)
- Fibers 2.42 (g)
- Sodium 11.49 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Octopus and Potatoes
- 2.6 lbs octopus
- 1.3 lbs potatoes
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- lemon
- pepper
- as needed parsley
- carrot
- celery
- onion
- 1 clove garlic
Tools
- 2 Pots
Steps for Octopus and Potatoes
Wash the potatoes well and immerse them in a pot filled with salted water without peeling them.
Turn on the heat and let them boil for 40 minutes from the start of boiling (or for 20 minutes from the whistle if using a pressure cooker).
Then drain them from the water and set them aside to cool.
Tip.
You can also cook the potatoes the night before and keep them in the refrigerator until it’s time to peel them, so that they lose excess water and result in a firmer texture.
I advise against preparing them at the last minute because the hot and too moist pulp would break easily.
When the potatoes have completely cooled, remove the peel and cut them into regular chunks. Set them aside in a container covered with plastic wrap to prevent them from turning dark when exposed to air.
First, proceed by removing the eyes and beak of the octopus, if they have not already been removed by the fishmonger.
Then rinse it well by rubbing it under running water, paying attention to cleaning the suckers. If necessary, clean them one by one.At this point, proceed to cut the pouch, below the eyes.
Proceed to clean the octopus’s pouch. Turn the pouch inside out, pull out the innards, and cut them.
Rinse the inside of the pouch well.
Turn the pouch back out again, cut the skin covering the octopus’s pouch, and remove it.Rinse thoroughly and set aside.
Then proceed to clean the octopus’s tentacles. Slightly cut the skin and remove it, taking care with the suckers, which should remain attached.Rinse thoroughly.
Then keep it cool and proceed to prepare the base for its cooking.
In a pot full of water, immerse the peeled and chopped onion, carrot, and celery.
Bring to a boil.
Now focus on the octopus. Hold it firmly by the head and repeatedly dip the tentacles in the boiling water to curl them with the heat (this process will make the plating more elegant).After that, immerse it completely and let it cook. (consider 20 minutes per kilogram).
Once cooked, let it cool in its cooking water for a couple of hours.
Finally, separate the tentacles from the head and cut the former into chunks and the latter into strips.
The size is up to you.
Put the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and crushed garlic in a bowl. Beat with a fork to emulsify all the ingredients.
Adjust the salt and pepper, add the chopped parsley.
Place the chopped octopus on the serving dish, along with the previously prepared potatoes, and dress everything by distributing the vinaigrette evenly.
A tip is to wait a bit before serving it at the table so that the ingredients can absorb the flavors!
Your octopus and potato salad is ready.
Enjoy your meal.
Notes and Curiosities
A good cooking cannot disregard the choice of the best raw material.
Here are some small tips on how to choose the right octopus for your recipe:
Intense color, first of all: the real octopuses have a strong color, not ‘faded’ but tending towards red.
Firm consistency: the rigidity of the fibers is an indication of freshness, while it is definitely advisable to avoid purchasing an octopus with flabby flesh.
Pay attention to the suckers: two symmetrical rows for the male rock octopus, with more prized flesh.
Two asymmetrical rows for the female, which also has smaller tentacles and less exquisite flesh.
And if there is only one row of suckers… they’re trying to sell you horned octopuses!
Curling of the tentacles: curled tentacles are synonymous with beaten or thawed octopuses, while fresh octopuses present with extended tentacles.
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