Octopus with Sweet Tropea Onions
Octopus is a staple in the seafood section in Italian supermarkets and farmer markets. Unlike other parts of the world where you typically find this delicious delicacy in fancy restaurants at an extravagant price or in gourmet food & wine magazines, in Italy it is a common ingredient to cook at home. Be sure to ask your fishmonger to clean the octopus to avoid dealing with the beak, eyes and the ink sack.
Although cooking octopus seems difficult, it’s really as easy as cooking pasta. You just drop the octopus in boiling water, let it cool, then slice it up. That’s it. You can serve it alone with a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and chopped parsley or layer on top sweet Tropea onions to give the dish a vibrant color and a burst of flavor. Other famous dishes you’ll find around Italy are the octopus and potato salad and octopus “Luciana” with capers, olives and tomatoes.
Recipe for two people
Bring a medium pot of water to boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Add the pepper corns, bay leaves, garlic and octopus. Cover with a lid. Cook for 35-45 minutes or until the octopus is tender when pierced with a toothpick. Carefully drain and set the octopus on a cutting board to cool.
During the time that the octopus is cooking, thinly slice the Tropea onions in rounds and put them in a medium bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and black pepper; toss to coat. Chill in the refrigerator until the octopus is done.
When the octopus has cooled slightly, cut into thin slices like sashimi. Arrange them on a plate and top with the Tropea onion mixture and another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until ready to consume (eat within 1-2 days). This is a great recipe to prepare in advance.
*If you want to boil a whole octopus just double the amount of Tropea onions
