Salada de Polvo

Octopus

• 1 octopus, ~1.2 kg, frozen then fully thawed
• 1 onion, halved, for the poaching water
• 1 bay leaf, for the poaching water

Dressing

• 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 30 ml red wine vinegar
• 2 garlic, minced
• 1 onion, small, finely diced
• 0 a generous handful coriander (or parsley), chopped
• 0.5 red pepper, finely diced(optional)
• 0 to taste salt and black pepper

Poach the octopus

1. 1

   If the octopus was fresh, freeze and thaw it first — the ice damage tenderises the muscle. Bring a large pot of UNSALTED water to the boil with 1 halved onion and 1 bay leaf; salt would draw out moisture and toughen the flesh.

   5m

   Cook in unsalted water and season the finished salad — salting the poaching water toughens octopus.

   Octopus Poaching (the Galician Dip)
2. 2

   Hold the octopus by the head and dip it fully into the boiling water and out again three times, two or three seconds each, to set and curl the tentacles gradually. Then lower it in, drop to a bare simmer (~90 °C, never a hard boil) and cook 40–50 min, until a paring knife slides into the thick base of a tentacle with the resistance of a ripe pear.

   50m~90 °C

   Octopus Poaching (the Galician Dip)
3. 3

   Let it cool in the liquid for 15 min so it stays succulent, then cut into ~2 cm pieces.

   15m

Dress and rest

1. 4

   Whisk a dressing of 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil, 30 ml red wine vinegar, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 finely diced small onion, with salt and black pepper. Toss the octopus through it with a generous handful of chopped coriander and ½ diced red pepper if you like.

   5m
2. 5

   Leave it: 30 min minimum, but markedly better after a few hours as the garlic mellows and the octopus drinks the dressing. Serve at room temperature, never fridge-cold.

   30m