Dalmatian Octopus Salad

Ingredients

• Octopus (2 pounds, cleaned)
• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Lemon juice (3 tablespoons, freshly squeezed)
• Extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup)
• Fresh basil (1/4 cup, chopped)
• Fresh parsley (1/4 cup, chopped)
• Kalamata olives (1 cup, halved)
• Red onion (1, thinly sliced)
• Tomatoes (2 cups, diced)

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Carefully add the cleaned octopus and cook for 45-60 minutes, or until tender. To check for doneness, pierce with a fork; it should be easy to pierce but not falling apart.
2. Once cooked, drain the octopus and let it cool completely on a cutting board.
3. Once cooled, cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces, roughly 1-inch in size, and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the octopus, diced tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, halved Kalamata olives, chopped parsley, and chopped basil. Gently toss to combine all ingredients.
5. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to taste. This zesty dressing will enhance the salad’s flavors.
6. Pour the dressing over the octopus salad and toss gently to ensure everything is well coated.
7. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
8. Serve chilled, garnished with extra herbs or lemon wedges if desired for an added touch of freshness.