SALATA

A cookbook by
Michael Rantissi & Kristy Frawley,
due for release early September 2025.

 
 

octopus and potato
salad

Octopus and potato salad

This is a salad that a Greek friend taught me many years ago, and I still think it is impressive. To change it up, I often like to use the barbecue instead of a pan to colour all the ingredients, giving them a different flavour.

Serves 4

250 g (9 oz) baby new potatoes

75 ml (2 1⁄2 fl oz) olive oil, plus extra if needed

1 red onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 small octopus, about 500 g (1 lb 2 oz), braised

sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 lemon, cut in half

5 parsley sprigs, coarsely chopped

2 fresh oregano sprigs, leaves picked

  1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil. Leave to boil for 25–30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and a knife goes through them easily. Strain and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, cut each potato in half.

  2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Fry the potatoes, cut side down, for about 5 minutes, until lightly golden. Turn them over and repeat on the other side, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the onion and garlic to the frying pan and cook for 5–8 minutes, or until they have some colour. Transfer to the potato mixing bowl.

  3. Cut the octopus into 2 cm (¾ in) cubes and place in the frying pan, adding more olive oil if needed. Colour the octopus for about 2 minutes on each side, then season with salt, pepper and the dried oregano. Transfer the octopus to the potato mixing bowl. In the same pan you cooked the octopus in, place the lemon halves cut side down and char for 3–4 minutes, until they’re nicely coloured.

  4. Add the fresh herbs and mix to combine. Add more seasoning if required. Place on a serving plate and serve straight away, with the charred lemons on the side for people to squeeze over their salad.

Perfectly braised octopus

1 small octopus, weighing

700 g to 1 kg (1 lb 9 oz to 2 lb 4 oz) once the head has been removed

2 small carrots, cut into 3 cm (1 1⁄4 in) chunks

1 small onion, cut into 8 wedges

2 garlic cloves, peeled

4 bay leaves

5 peppercorns

10 parsley stalks

  1. Wash the octopus well and place in a saucepan with all the other ingredients. Pour in enough cold water to cover the octopus by 3–4 cm (1¼–1½ in).

  2. Bring to the boil, then simmer over medium heat for 1½ hours, or until the octopus is tender.

  3. Remove the octopus from the water and allow to cool before using. e octopus will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days. Yields about 500–600 g (1 lb 2 oz–1 lb 5 oz).