Octopus Salad: Secrets and Variations

Octopus Salad: Traditional Recipe

Octopus salad is a great classic of Italian cuisine and the Mediterranean diet, with its few but well-balanced ingredients, it is a very tasty and light dish, perfect for summer lunches. To prepare this delicacy, it is essential that the octopus is of the right quality and suitable for the type of cooking, perhaps get advice from your trusted fishmonger and be sure to choose a fresh, well-cleaned octopus.
To get the octopus perfectly cooked, you need to arm yourself with patience, which when you sit down to the table will be completely repaid. Bring a pot of water to a boil and flavor it with bay leaves, peppercorns and an onion cut in half; to curl the tentacles, dip the octopus several times but for a few seconds at a time, then let it simmer for about 40-45 minutes. A good indicator of good cooking is the texture of the octopus: if you can easily pierce it with a fork, it is ready!
At this point the octopus should cool inside its cooking water to keep the meat juicy. Once cold you can begin to cut it into uniform pieces and place inside a bowl, finally season to taste with salt, pepper, quality extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley.
The salad can then be enriched with various other ingredients, depending on personal taste and the desire to experiment with new flavor combinations. Well matched with octopus are boiled potatoes, black olives or even cherry tomatoes. You choose which is your favorite variation of this timeless dish of Mediterranean cuisine.

How to Clean and Cook Octopus

To prepare a perfect octopus salad, the most important steps are: cleaning the shellfish and cooking it, both of which must be approached with care and patience.
Before plunging the octopus into ‘ boiling water, make sure it is perfectly clean, rinse it under running water and remove the inedible parts: the eyes, the beak (between the tentacles) and the insides of the head; use a sharp knife for this operation.
After cleaning, cooking is carried out. According to the traditional method, the octopus should be immersed in a pot of lightly saltedboiling water for about 40-45 minutes. Some chefs recommend curling the tentacles before cooking by dipping the ends of the octopus three times for a few seconds in the boiling water, then submerging it completely and cooking it; this allows the tentacles to keep their pleasing shape even whenserving.
A little trick for perfect cooking is to add a cork to the water: it is said to make the octopus meat softer and juicier. Once cooked, the octopus should be allowed to cool in its water to preserve its flavor and tenderness. After cooling, you can cut the octopus evenly and season it with whatever you prefer, but never without a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil that enhances and enriches each bite.

Variants of the Recipe

The traditional octopus salad recipe has only one basic element, but it lends itself to endless variations. There are many additional ingredients or seasonings, but the main character always remains the octopus.
One of the most popular variations is with boiled potatoes, seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped parsley-a complete and balanced dish.
For a strong flavor, cherry tomatoes, black olives and capers can be added with an ‘ emulsion of evo oil, lemon juice and oregano: an irresistible Mediterranean version.
For more exotic flavors, try adding avocado, which contrasts nicely with the octopus with its creaminess, or red onion for a more pronounced taste.
Finally, for lovers of lively flavors, the spicy variant is ideal: just a little chili powder, fresh chili, or a chili-flavored evo oil.
In short, octopus salad is a simple and versatile dish that is perfect for experimenting with taste and creativity. Whether it’s for a casual dinner or an outdoor summer lunch, it’s always a winning choice.

Posted by:

Alfio Lo Conte

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Tecnico ed esperto degli oli extravergini di oliva, iscritto nell’Elenco Nazionale sezione Campania. Maestro di frantoio con diploma, conseguito presso International Extravirgin Agency.

Read more articles by: Alfio Lo Conte