Potato & Octopus Salad + how to cook Octopus
A taste of the Mediterranean....
Across Italy and the Mediterranean, and especially Sardinia, Italy, where my father hails from, potato and octopus salad is common on restaurant menus. It is a light, satisfying, and fresh salad that, while seemingly complicated, is actually quite simple and easy to make.
In talking with friends and family, I learned that many people only eat octopus when they dine out and have never tried to make it at home. Although it may seem like an intimidating protein to work with, it is actually A LOT easier than you may think. You pop the entire octopus into a large pot, add just enough water to cover the legs, and then optionally add some seasonings (though you don’t even really need them) and cook it over a low simmer for 45min - 1 hour until it’s knife tender. That’s it!
Once the octopus is done, the rest is smooth sailing. You cube and boil potatoes, while that cooks you slice some fennel (my addition) and parsley. Once the potatoes are done, toss them all together with a simple dressing and serve! It’s great at room temp or prepped ahead of time and served cold from the fridge.
Without further to do, let’s get into the recipe….. Full PDF printout at the bottom.
Potato & Octopus Salad
Ingredients
2 lb octopus, cleaned out & steam cooked
2-3 cups water
1 bay leaf
5 whole black peppercorns
1/2 peel of a lemon
parsley stems
3-4 gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 head fennel, thinly sliced
3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
salt & pepper to taste
Steps
Prep the octopus
Begin by giving the octopus a good rinse in cold water. Remove the beak (located on the underside of the octopus in the center) by gently squeezing it. Transfer it to a large pot and then cover with just enough water to cover the legs. Add the bay leaf, peppercorn, lemon peel, and parsley stems.
Bring the heat to medium heat until it begins to simmer, then drop the heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 45 min - 1 hour, or until the octopus is easily pierced at the thickest part of the leg with a knife.
Remove the octopus from the heat and allow it to cool slightly. Cut the legs from the center and then slice the legs and center piece into 1/2-inch round (or cube for the center) pieces.
Prep the salad
Peel and dice the potatoes. They should be around the same size as the octopus pieces. Add the potatoes to a medium pot and cover with cold water 1 inch above them. Bring the pot to the stove, season generously with salt, then bring it to a simmer over medium heat and cook until just fork tender, about 15 minutes. Take care not to overcook the potatoes, or they will fall apart in the salad. Drain and allow to cool slightly when done.
While the potatoes are cooking, use a mandolin or knife to thinly slice the fennel and then finely chop the parsley.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped octopus, potatoes, fennel, and parsley with the olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. Give it a good toss to combine, and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Serve with some fresh lemon and another drizzle of olive oil.
ENJOY!!!!
Here is a PDF printout version for you:
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask! And if you recreate this beauty, please take pictures and share them with me!!! I LOVE to see your recreations ❤️