At the beginning of Greek Orthodox Lent, Kathara Deftera or Clean Monday, I prepared several dishes and told you that I was going to post them during this period of lent.
However, due to all the events and other things popping up I have delayed. Shall try and post the other recipes within the next few days.
I shall start with the octopus salad which makes a wonderful side dish all year over.
Whoever wants to find la crème de la crème of recipes may find them over at Linda’s site Nutriferia, who is hosting an event every fortnight. This week’s theme is Spring Salads, so as my salad fits with the theme, I’m submitting it over at Nutriferia.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 octopus fresh or frozen (about 1 kilo)
- ½ glass of white dry wine
- ½ glass of olive oil
- A few peppercorns
- 3 – 4 bay leaves
- 2 medium potatoes
- 2- 3 spring onions
- Parsley
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Oregano (optional)
- Lemon juice
Directions
For those who do not know how to clean an octopus, you may see instructions here.
However, I must tell you that this thing about the cork is $*&* to me as I have never used one and the octopus becomes very tender without it. Just follow the cleaning instructions. I keep the stomach sac and after removing everything from inside I wash it very well, then I turn it inside out again and remove the skin as well.
Put the octopus with the cleaned sac in the sauce pan (do not cut it into pieces) and let it boil, lower heat and turn it on the other side as well.
Place lid on pan and simmer for about half an hour or more (fresh octopus needs more time than the frozen one to tenderize). A pinkish to red liquid will sweat out of the octopus which, after half an hour or so, through away. Add the olive oil, the wine, bay leaves and peppercorns in the sauce pan (no salt) and when it begins boiling lower heat and simmer until the octopus becomes tender (about half an hour again).
Remove to a platter but keep the sauce. Cut into small pieces.
Meantime bake potatoes with skin either in the oven or cook in the microwave until soft. Sometimes I place them in the basket of the pressure cooker (again with skin) and steam them for about 15 minutes.
When they can be handled, peel and cut them into small pieces.
Finely chop the onions and parsley and mix with the potatoes. Add the sauce of the octopus which you have reserved and mix all together as well as extra olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper and oregano, at will.
Ivy, I’m glad to hear you pointed out that you don’t really need a cork lol. I’m interested to test both methods one day. This sounds great, consider it bookmarked.
This is my favourite way to enjoy octopus Ivy. Loive oil, lemon juice, rigani…beautiful…great post!
Pixie, I’ve been cooking octopus probably before you were born. No cork needed, believe me.
I’ve seen several octopus recipes all around the blog-o-sphere lately. I have only prepared it once and it was kinda chewy, which it wasn’t a bad thing, but it didn’t taste like my mom used to make them.
When I make it again, I am going to use your recipe. It looks delish and I will follow your instructions and no cork!
I used to live across the street from a well known Greek restaurant here in the valley. I loved their marinated octopus. When in Greece this dish was elevated to heavenly proportion using fresh octopus. You salad now pushes it over the top:D
You are right fresh octopus is better but the frozen one is not bad either.
@ Peter G. This is the Greek way to serve octopus. Delicious.
@ Ben. No cork and it will still melt in your mouth.
I agree with you completely about the cork – it makes no difference. I love octopus, and this looks great!
Thank you Laurie, not to mention that the cork may decentigrate while cooking.
This is one delicious octopus dish Ivy. I have never cleaned octopus myself so thanks for sharing the tps
Rosie x
Hi Ivy, this looks delicious. I like octopus, but I am not sure if I am up to preparing my own from scratch yet.
Rosie and Cakelaw. If you like octopus then you can try the frozen ones. They are almost ready for you to use. The stomach sac is cleaned and the only thing you do is just cut and through away and just find the beak in the middle of all the tentacles, and cut it away.
Ooohhh I love octopus Ivy!!! And didn’t know about this way of cooking it. I’m bookmarking the recipe right away
Here in Spain it’s not the time for octopus yet and I rather have it fresh, so I will wait a little bit for that one. Have a great weekend!!!
I am glad you liked it Nuria.
I think the flavors of this dish sound wonderful. I’ve never had octopus before.
Looking at octopus freaks me out! They’re so weird looking.
Never mind Emiline, you may eventually change your mind.
Hi Ivy!
Your octopus salad sounds pretty intriguing and must admit it looks great.
Since you’ve also used spring onions I must let you now I’m part of a team that organizes a foodie roundup event every 2 weeks on a given theme and would love if you would participate. The current theme is springtime salads. So what do you say?
Wishing you many yummy recipes to come
Thanks Linda, with pleasure. I shall link to your site and see the details.
Ivy thanks for your incredibly prompt response
and for participating.
Your salad is such a great entry!
Please stay tuned for the roundup(on the 18th of April +/-1 day) to check other great salads.
Oops it seems that you forgot to link the roundup badge to our event
. It’s one of the requirements for participating so that others can find out about the event. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance (you can use our contact form on the site).
Hope this is okay now Linda.
Yes this is okay too
, thank you Ivy!
That’s what I heard from my friends and they sworn by it using the cork method. Could be the chemical inside the oak that causes the octopus to soften? Just like what my family always did when cooking duck – we added a clean porcelaine spoon into the pot with the duck. It turns out tender than without the spoon. I think the porcelaine spoon creates a higher heat conductor & makes the duck meat tenderises.
But … what I do know is that the longer a seafood is cook, the tougher the meat. Just like calamari… my family said it’s like rubber band…
I never used a cork before Pixen and it’s always tender.
Oh wow Ivy! I just saw your salad in the round up and the octopus caught my eye right away. I like all your other ingredients too.
Hi Lore, I’m glad you like it. Thanks for telling me about the round up. Shall check it out.
[...] Octopus Salad [...]