Serves 4 · Prep 20 min (plus 15 min resting) · Cook 5 min
This is a cool, bright salad for a hot afternoon. The octopus is already cooked, so it only needs a quick sear in a hot pan to char the edges. It's then tossed with crunchy vegetables, lime and good olive oil. Serve it as a starter or a light lunch.
Ingredients
- 1 pack Octopus (Cooked), 1 lb / 450 g, thawed
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for searing
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small cucumber, halved and sliced
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 wiri wiri pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
- Handful of chopped shado beni (culantro) or cilantro
- Handful of fresh mint leaves
- Lime wedges, to serve
For the dressing
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 limes, juiced, plus 1 tsp zest
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Method
- Thaw and dry. Thaw the octopus in the fridge (0–4 °C) overnight. Pat it very dry and cut it into bite-sized pieces, keeping the tentacle curls whole where you can.
- Sear. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until it smokes. Sear the octopus for 1–2 minutes a side, just until the edges char. It's already cooked, so this step is only about colour and texture.
- Make the dressing. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Toss. Add the warm octopus to the dressing straight from the pan so it soaks up the flavour. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell pepper and wiri wiri pepper, and toss.
- Rest. Leave the salad for 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to 1 hour in the fridge.
- Finish. Fold in the shado beni and mint just before serving. Taste for salt and lime, and serve with lime wedges.
Cook's note: Baby Octopus (Cooked) works the same way, and there's no need to cut it. Sear it whole for a more dramatic plate.
