Octopus Galician Style

This is a flavoursome recipe and the most famous and popular dish in North-West Spain, Galicia. Octopuses are cooked whole in big copper pots while the skilful ladies of the “pulpeira” quickly prepare them with “cachelos” (boiled potatoes) or without, depending on how you want it. I could tell you a lot about the history, the stories, the why nots and all these things, but I believe the best thing to do is to taste it. As simple as Galician cooking is, it is also extremely tasty.

There are feiras dedicated only to octopus where you can find open-air pulpeiras surrounded by long rectangular tables and benches where you can sit and enjoy the food and the atmosphere at a reasonable price. These are usually held over the summer and I encourage anyone that can to enjoy and experience them at least once in their life time. Like going to San Andrés de Teixido.

I cook this dish at home not as often as I’d like as the octopus here are not easy to find and not that big either but we make do and it really makes you feel as if you were back home under the summer sun having a ración and a cunca de Ribeiro to go with it.

So please, enjoy this recipe that comes all the way from my kitchen to you.

You can find the step by step video to this recipe here:

Octopus Galician Style

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins approx
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: stars
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Credit: The Spaniard’s Kitchen

Ingredients

Octopus 2.5 to 3 kg (clean & defrosted )

5 Large Potatoes peeled & whole

Hot paprika to taste

Sea Salt to taste

The best olive oil you can get

Directions

1. Fill a big pot (preferably copper) with water and bring it to the boil.
2. Hold the octopus by the head and dip it into the water 3 times, on the three let go of the octopus (mind your fingers) and let it cook.
3. When the octopus is half cooked, add the potatoes and allow to finish cooking.
4. Remove the octopus and potatoes from the pot.
5. Get a wooden plate or a ceramic tray. Chop the potatoes and lay the potatoes on one of the plates/trays.
6. Then cut the octopus in chunks and lay them on top of the potatoes.
7. Sprinkle with hot paprika and sea salt (be careful not to add too much paprika)
8. Add olive oil all over the octopus & potatoes.
9. Serve hot and enjoy!