How to prepare Galician-style octopus like in North Spain

Anyone who has visited Galicia knows a visit to a “pulpería” is a must, and here we will learn their classic recipe: pulpo a la gallga (Galician-style octopus). The preparation is quite simple, just few tricks have to be observed, and the only difficulty is learning to find the right point of cooking, the octopus should not be too hard or too soft.

Set the octopus in the refrigerator one day before cooking in a large container, since it will release a lot of water, and let it defrost.

Bring water to a boil in the deepest available pot, and „scare“ the octopus three times. In Spain, it means grabbing it by the head and dipping the tentacles three times in the boiling water for a couple of seconds. Plunge it completely afterwards, making sure that it is completely covered.As soon as the water boils again, cover and cook over low/medium heat for about 30-40 minutes (for an octopus of approx. 2 kg). To check if it’s done, prick with a fork or toothpick in an arm near the head, the consistency should be similar to when a potato is done. Remove and let cool before cutting. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes for about 15 minutes in the same pot. In case we want to heat the octopus later, put it back into the water briefly, but without letting it boil again.

Traditionally the octopus is cut with scissors and served on a wooden plate next to the potato slices. Add coarse or flaky salt, smoked paprika (from La Vera) and extra virgin olive oil.

Tips and tricks:

1. The octopus must have been previously frozen, as this breaks down the fibers and softens the meat. Formerly this process was supplanted by hitting it hard for a long time.
2. Normally, the octopus sold in the supermarket is already clean. If not, empty and rinse the head well, remove the “tooth” (which is hidden in the center, from where the arms open), and clean the tentacles.
3. To give the octopus more flavor, it’s possible to add onion, bay leaf, a clove of garlic and some cloves to the cooking water. In the grocery stores, the same water is also used over and over again, which further enhances the flavor.
4. It is recommended not to salt the cooking water, because this prevents the octopus meat from getting tender.
5. By “scaring” the octopus, the change of its temperature is less abrupt, and this helps it not to lose its skin during cooking.
6. When cooking the potatoes in the octopus water, they will take on a reddish color, which is perfectly normal.
7. We can do without the potatoes if we wish. The octopus is then served with salt flakes, paprika and olive oil.
8. It’s possible to use hot paprika, but personally I think sweet paprika works best for octopus.
9. In Spain, Arbequina-type olive oil is often recommended for seafood dishes, as its flavor is milder and less overbearing.
10. The pairing of this recipe with some fried padrón peppers and a glass of Albariño wine is unbeatable. And of course, some bread to dip in the sauce that remains on the plate.
11. It would be a shame to discard the octopus cooking water. It can be used as broth for different preparations, such as rice.