Octopus and Vegetables

Here is a classic recipe for preparing octopus with vegetables, enriching the dish with an Italian touch in the preparation.

Ingredients

• 1 medium octopus (about 1-1.5 kg)
• 2 medium potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1 zucchini
• 1 celery stalk
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 garlic clove
• Fresh parsley to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lemon juice (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the octopus. You can ask your fishmonger to do it for you or, if you prefer to proceed on your own, remove the eyes and the central beak, and rinse well under cold running water.
2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil with one bay leaf. Once boiling, immerse the octopus and let it cook for about 40-60 minutes, depending on the size, until tender.
3. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and carrots and cut them into cubes of about 1 cm. Also cut the zucchini and celery into similar cubes.
4. In another pot, steam or boil the vegetables until tender but still crunchy.
5. Once the octopus is cooked, drain it and let it cool, then cut it into pieces.
6. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil with a garlic clove. Add the octopus pieces and sauté for a few minutes until they have taken on color.
7. Add the vegetables to the octopus in the pan, adjust salt and pepper, and let the flavors meld for a couple of minutes.
8. Serve the octopus and vegetables hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of raw oil. If you like, you can add a bit of lemon juice for acidity.

Trivia

Octopus is a highly appreciated food in Italy, especially in coastal regions where it is caught fresh. A typical preparation, especially in regions like Puglia, involves cooking the octopus in a pot with little liquid and its own heat, in order to make the meat particularly tender and flavorful.