John Myers
Pulpo Salad
The perfect pulpo salad recipe with a picture and simple step-by-step instructions.
- 1,5 kg Pulpo, fresh or frozen
- 2 medium-sized Fresh onion
- 1 medium-sized Red peppers
- 1 medium-sized Green peppers
- 2 medium-sized Tomatoes red fresh, firm
- 0,5 juice Lemon fresh
- Extra virgin olive oil, unfiltered
- 1 piece Bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
- Some thymina / rosemary
- Side dishes: potatoes + egg
- If it’s too warm for a hearty meal, a fresh snack is always an option – with a little help, it can quickly become a filling meal. In terms of tapas and small bites, the Canary Islands are in no way inferior to the Spanish mainland. Only the squid / pulpo / octopus is something that many don’t really dare to try. But do not worry: it no longer bites when it is on your table!
- First about the pulpo: Bring enough water to the boil in a large saucepan so that the pulpo is covered with water a good two fingers wide. Put an onion in the hot water – the whole thing! With bowl and all the trimmings. You can cut it in the middle – but you don’t have to. Also add the bay leaf. If the water bubbles properly, the pulpo is “frightened” 3 times (asustar – to slowly loosen the toughness of the tentacles) – ie immersed in boiling water for about 1 minute and then taken out again until the water starts to bubble again . The first time the skin should turn reddish in color and the tentacles should curl up at the tips. A sure sign that the goods are fresh. From the 4th dive onwards, the animal is allowed to boil in the boiling water for about 1 hour. After about 50 minutes you can test how tender the meat is with a wooden skewer on a tentacle. You can also cut off a piece with scissors and try it. Depending on the size of the animal, it takes about one hour. The time can vary with a frozen pulpo! Exactly right: If the wooden skewer penetrates the meat easily, but the suction cups can still “suck” well. If the suction cups start to fall off then it was already too much – quickly get out with the meat and quickly under cold water.
- While the pulpo is simmering, we prepare the rest of the salad: Cut the red & green peppers as well as the onions and tomatoes into not too small pieces and mix them in a bowl. Season to taste with olive oil, salt and pepper. Since Pulpo is quite expensive, the ingredients can also be a bit better: use some coarse sea salt and “extra virgin” olive oil. Add the juice of half a lemon – or a high-quality vinegar.
- When the pulpo is ready, take it out of the water and let it cool in the air for a moment. Cut off the tentacles and split the body. Carefully remove all parts from the skin under running cold water. Also between the suction cups. So that only the pure muscle meat remains. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and fold into the salad. If necessary, season the salad a little with thymine or rosemary (as fresh as possible). Better to save with salt!
- Put the salad in the refrigerator overnight so that it can “steep”. The next day before serving, you may need to season again. Or add some more oil.
- This is how it is eaten in Canarian villages: Peel 2 potatoes, wash them and cut them into small bites. Fry the potato pieces in a pan with plenty of oil until they are golden brown. A clove of garlic can be fried in the oil. After frying, drain the potatoes and lightly season them with salt. Slice a hard-boiled egg over the lettuce and potatoes. Buen Provecho!
- Since the preparation is relatively time-consuming, you may need to make a large amount right away. The salad can be kept in the refrigerator for about 2 days. Another delicious side dish is goat cheese “Semicurado”.
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