Tender octopus salad: the secret to perfect cooking with EVO oil

Octopus Salad is one of the great classics of Mediterranean cuisine, an appetizer that tastes of crystal clear sea and ancient traditions handed down from generation to generation. This seemingly simple dish actually hides the secret of a perfect technique that transforms a mollusk with an often-feared texture into a soft and flavorful delight.

The real star of this recipe is not just the octopus, but the wisdom in its preparation. The trick of pre-freezing, which breaks the muscle fibers, and slow, patient cooking in water flavored with celery and carrots, are the secrets to achieving that tender texture that makes the difference between a mediocre dish and a culinary masterpiece.

Our extra virgin olive oil from Oleificio Fratelli Vieste is the element that elevates this salad from a simple preparation to a gastronomic experience. Its fruity and delicate notes enhance the natural sweetness of the octopus without overpowering its flavor, while the lemon adds that tart freshness that perfectly balances the richness of the mollusk.

The combination with fresh celery and carrots creates a contrast of textures that makes every bite interesting: the tenderness of the octopus alternates with the crunch of the vegetables, while fresh parsley adds herbaceous notes that recall the scents of the Mediterranean. Green olives complete the picture with their characteristic savoriness.

This octopus salad represents the essence of summer cuisine: fresh, light yet substantial, perfect to serve as a refined appetizer or as a single dish for seaside lunches. Its preparation requires time and patience, but the final result is a dish that will conquer even the most demanding palates and transform every table into a celebration of seafood flavors.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Cooling time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 2-4 people

INGREDIENTS

1 fresh or frozen octopus, 600g
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
Extra virgin olive oil from Oleificio Fratelli Vieste
Salt
1/2 lemon
A bunch of parsley
Green olives

PREPARATION

1- Boil water in a pot with one carrot and one celery stalk. When boiling, add the previously cleaned octopus (if fresh, dip it in the boiling water three times to curl the tentacles. A tip: if you freeze the octopus before cooking, its flesh will be more tender). Cook the octopus for about 40 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork. Let it cool in its water, then remove it and cut it into pieces.

2- Dice one carrot and one celery stalk, add the chopped octopus, chopped parsley, season with lemon juice, plenty of extra virgin olive oil from Oleificio Fratelli Vieste, and adjust salt to taste.

3- Serve by adding green olives, a sprig of parsley, and an additional drizzle of olive oil.