Croatian Octopus Salad
Croatian Octopus and Potatoes Salad is a delightful blend of tender octopus and hearty potatoes, perfect for a refreshing and satisfying meal. This traditional dish, known as "Salata od Hobotnice i Krumpira," is commonly enjoyed along the Croatian coast.
Ingredients
- 1 kg octopus cleaned
- 1 large onion quartered
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 medium potatoes peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 small red onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Optional:
- capers, olives, cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Cook the Octopus: In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add the quartered onion, bay leaves, and 2 cloves of garlic. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the cleaned octopus. Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the octopus is tender. Remove the octopus from the pot and let it cool. Once cooled, cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook the Potatoes: In another pot, cook the potatoes in lightly salted water. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until they are tender but still firm. Drain and let them cool.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the chopped octopus, cooked potatoes, finely chopped red onion and fresh parsley. Add capers, cherry tomatoes and olives if desired.
- Dress the Salad: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled as a starter or a light main course.
- Dobar tek!