Octopus Salad
Ingredients
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- 1 onion onion – halved
- 1 carrot carrot – halved
- 1 stalk celery stalk – halved
- 2 leaves bay leaf
- 10 peppercorns black peppercorns
- 1 lemon lemon – halved
- 2 pounds octopus (cleaned)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
- 1 clove garlic – finely minced
- 1 cup celery – thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped (~0.5 n/a parsleys)
Instructions
1. Put the onion, carrot, celery stalk, bay leaves, black peppercorns, and the halved lemon in a large pot, add cold water to cover by 2 inches, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
2. Grip the octopus and dip the tentacles into the simmering liquid 2–3 times to curl, then submerge, reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer, and cook partially covered until tender when a skewer slides into the thickest part with little resistance, 45–60 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and let it cool in the liquid for 20–30 minutes, then lift it out, peel away any loose skin if desired, pat dry, and cut into 0.5-inch pieces; transfer to a mixing bowl.
4. Whisk the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic in a small bowl until emulsified.
5. Add the celery and flat-leaf parsley to the bowl with the cut seafood, pour over the dressing, and toss to coat evenly.
6. Let the salad stand 20–30 minutes at cool room temperature to meld flavors, then taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or lemon if needed before serving slightly cool or at room temperature.
Octopus salad is a bright, clean-tasting seafood dish that balances tender, gently cooked octopus with a vibrant lemon-and-olive-oil dressing. The texture is silky yet pleasantly firm, set against the fresh crunch of celery and the herbal lift of parsley. Its appeal lies in its simplicity: a few good ingredients, handled carefully, that let the natural sweetness of the octopus shine.
Rooted in the Mediterranean, this salad is especially associated with Italy’s coastal regions, where it appears at seaside trattorie and on holiday tables. In Campania, Puglia, and Liguria, cooks typically simmer octopus until just tender, cool it in its broth, and dress it minimally to showcase the catch. Over time, regional touches—like adding potatoes, olives, or capers—have appeared, but the core remains a straightforward marriage of pristine seafood and citrusy olive oil.