Mediterranean Marinated Octopus Salad

I wouldn’t have thought that octopus would take the place of lobster as my favorite seafood, but that is what has happened. I never gave octopus much consideration until I saw a TV special about the Greek Islands, and the octopus they were grilling on the beaches looked so wonderful I was wishing I could get my hands on some. Much to my surprise, my brother Jim served some marinated as an appetizer this past Thanksging and I fell in love! And then I learned it has been lurking cleaned and frozen in the supermarket for a while….who knew? Naturally I wanted to cook some myself, and when I went to buy one I had my third surprise…….. it’s not at all expensive. My little 1 pounder cost only about $4, and it’s the best four dollars I’ve spent in a while.

The cooking process is really a braise – and so a great opportunity to give some extra flavor to ths seafood that already has an amazing texture. In fact, the texture is like you are eating a seafood steak! Once the octopus s thawed (I understand that f previously frozen they are always pre-cleaned, so no need to worry about that) , cut off and discard t’s little head and place the octopus in a large pot with enough water to cover. Add a bay leaf, halved onon, some peppercorns and whatever other aromatics you have or want to use. I simmered mine for about 40 minutes, poking a fork into the thickest part occasionally after 1/2 an hour. When the fork went into the thick part easily, I knew it was all set. Then under some cool running water to rub off the dark pink outer surface (which really just about rinsed itself off with only a bit of gentle effort on my part), and I let it cool completely. Chop chop into bite sized pieces, and into the marinade it goes.

 Fresh oregano is an amazing flavor match for the octopus, so I used plenty – about 1/4 cup. Also some nice big chunks of seedless cucumber – if you’ve got a regular waxed cucumber you may want to peel the waxed skin off. Also, one onion chopped into bite sized pieces, juice of 1/2 a lemon, freshly ground black pepper and 2 cloves of minced fresh garlic. Add about a 50/50 mx of oil and vinegar to cover (I used Italian e.v.o.o. and a white balsamic vinegar). Let the salad sit for at least an hour in the mix, and if possible overnight in the fridge. Let come to room temperature and indulge……you may find yourself just craving more and more, as I did.

Possible variations on the theme seem endless, and next time I’m adding some crushed red chili peppers to the marinade. Do you have any suggestions? I’d love to hear them, since I know I’ll be preparing octopus on a weekly basis from now on!