Italian Octopus Salad

Ingredients

• 2 lb. Fresh octopus 2 smaller octopus are ideal for quicker cooking
• 2/3 Potatoes According to their size
• 3/4 cup Green olives
• 2 Lemons Both juice and zest
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Pink Himalayan Salt
• Black pepper

Instructions

1. Fill a stockpot with water and aromatics (carrot, celery, salt, peppercorns, half a lemon and laurel). Bring water to a boil. Before completely poaching the octopus let the tentacles touch the boiling water, moving the octopus up and down 3 or 4 times. This will nicely curl the tentacles for a prettier plate. Cook the octopus until tender (according to its weight) in the covered stockpot over low heat. I cooked two octopus of 1 lb. each in 25 minutes, but a bigger one may well need 45 to 60 minutes. Try it with a fork after 25 minutes; if soft, remove and immediately place it in a bowl filled with ice and water. This will stop its cooking and it will prevent the octopus from becoming rubbery. Heat a cast iron grill pan on the stove. On a wooden cutting board, chop the octopus in 1-inch pieces (including the head that you or your trusted fish guy have previously cleaned). When the grill pan is hot, grill the octopus until nicely charred. I like both the taste and the smell of lightly charred octopus!

1. Cook potatoes in boiling salted water for 30-40 minutes, or until soft. When cooked remove them from the pot and let them cool down. Peal the the potatoes, and chop them into a serving bowl. Slice the olives and add to the potatoes. Set aside.

1. Once the octopus is charred (5 minutes approximately) stir in with the potatoes and the olives. Squeeze the juice of one lemon and add its zest, too. Season with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with plenty of fresh Italian parsley. Serve warm.