Description
This Spanish Octopus Recipe (Pulpo a la Gallega) is made with boiled potatoes, cooked octopus, olive oil, pimentón, and salt and arranged on a large platter.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2-3 large gold potatoes, peeled
- 6 cooked octopus tentacles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pimentón or paprika
- Salt
Instructions
- Start by taking the skin off the potatoes with a vegetable peeler and place them in a pot of boiling water or a steamer if you have one.
- Keeping boiling on high heat until potatoes are easily pierced with a paring knife, about 20 minutes.
- Take the potatoes out but do not pour out the water.
- Turn the heat off and drop the cooked octopus into the water. We aren’t trying to cook the octopus, rather warm it up in the same water. (See note below if your octopus is uncooked).
- Rinse the potatoes under cold water until cool, then slice.
- Arrange the sliced potatoes on a serving platter, spread out. Drain the octopus and slice the tentacles into bite size pieces. Place the octopus on the slices of potatoes and drizzle olive oil over it. Sprinkle salt and pimentón on the octopus and potatoes.
Notes
- Tenderize the octopus: Octopus can be tough, so it's important to tenderize it before cooking. This can be done by freezing it before cooking or by simmering it in a flavorful broth for an extended period of time.
- Use quality ingredients: Because Spanish Octopus is a simple dish, it's important to use high-quality ingredients. This includes fresh octopus, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and smoked paprika.
- Add flavor with aromatics: While garlic and onion are the most common aromatics used in Spanish Octopus, you can also experiment with adding other flavors such as fresh herbs, lemon, or orange.
- Keep it simple: Spanish Octopus is a dish that is meant to highlight the flavor of the octopus itself, so it's best to keep the preparation simple. Avoid adding too many ingredients or flavors that will overpower the octopus.
- Don't overcook: Octopus can become rubbery if overcooked, so it's important to watch it carefully and remove it from the heat as soon as it is tender.
- Let it rest: After cooking, it's important to let the Spanish Octopus rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more flavorful and tender dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 153
- Fat: 3.2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6g
- Carbohydrates: 9.8 g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 63mg
