Salada de polvo, the Portuguese octopus salad
Salada de polvo is a fresh and fragrant Portuguese octopus salad made with tender octopus, bell peppers, red onion, olive oil, vinegar and coriander. A simple Portuguese starter, ideal as a summer salad or petisco to share.
Pour: 4 personnes
Ingredients
- Ingredients – for cooking octopus
- 1,5 kg octopus or 6 large tentacles
- 1 onion
- 1 head of garlic
- Salt
- Ingredients – for the salad
- Cooked octopus Cut into slices
- ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
- ½ green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 small red onion, minced
- 10 cl olive oil
- 4 tablespoons wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
- Salt
- Pepper
Préparation
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large stockpot.
- Add the octopus, onion, head of garlic, and salt.
- Cook over medium heat for 40 to 50 minutes, until the octopus is tender.
- Check the doneness with the tip of a knife: it should sink easily into the thick part of the tentacles.
- Let the octopus cool in its cooking water.
- Drain the octopus, then cut it into even rings.
- In a bowl, combine the octopus, red pepper, green pepper and red onion.
- Add the olive oil, vinegar, coriander, salt and pepper.
- Toss gently, then set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
For a more fragrant salad, make it a little ahead of time so that the octopus soaks up the seasoning.
Coriander can be replaced by softer flat-leaf parsley.
You can add steamed potatoes, tomatoes, or a little minced garlic for a more complete version.
