Octopus and Potato Salad with Aïoli
This is one of those dishes that arrives at the table looking calm and simple. Tender octopus, delicious potatoes, good olive oil and a sharp, garlicky aïoli come together in a way that feels both Mediterranean and deeply comforting — bright, salty, creamy, and impossible to rush.
It is also a very special dish for me, because it is one my mum and dad love too. That makes it feel less like a recipe and more like a memory on a plate: the kind of food that tastes of sunshine, long lunches and family tables that keep people lingering a little longer than planned.
If you are not usually drawn to seafood, think of this as a dish built on texture and balance as much as flavour: soft potato, silky olive oil, lemon, garlic and herbs doing exactly what they should. And if you do love octopus, you will not resist the way aïoli pulls everything together into something far greater than the sum of its parts.
Serving suggestion
RECIPE
Ingredients
Salad
1.5 kg baby/small octopus
750g miniature potatoes (if you plan to invite big eaters, you may want to double that)
2 medium red onions
1 large garlic heads
80g wild rocket leaves
handful of baby kale leaves (I collected mine from the garden)
1 medium fennel (shredded - optional)
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp red peppercorns
2 tbsp capers
Aïoli
250ml Extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic heads
2 tbsp mustard
1 egg yolk
Salt
Coarse cracked black pepper
Method:
To start, prepare the octopus. Remove the inside and the beak. Clean thoroughly under running water.
In a large pot, place the whole octopus, the onions cut in four wedges with skin on and the whole garlic head, cut into two halves horizontally, also with skin on.
Cover generously with water. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook the octopus at a vigorous simmer until tender but slightly al dente, about 1 hour. If the octopus were large, you may add another 15 minutes.
In a second pot, cover the miniature potatoes (with skin on|) with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook about 20 minutes, until just tender, then set aside to cool.
Once cooked, drain the octopus, discarding the bay leaves, onions and garlic. Cut the tentacles away where they join the head and, if desired, cut the head and tentacles in two pieces each. For large octopus, you may want to cut each tentacle and slice them if necessary.
To make the aïoli, place the head of garlic, the yolk, the olive oil and the mustard into a blender and blend until smooth. Season. You can also do without the yolk, if you prefer a lighter dressing.
Drain the potatoes, and decant in a large serving bowl. Add the prepared octopus and pour about two large tablespoon of aïoli. Mix well, but be gentle to not crush the potatoes.
Shred the fennel and incorporate gently to the salad, adding more aïoli if necessary.
When the salad is well coated with aïoli, add the rocket leaves, the baby kale leaves, the capers, and if you want to some coriander and parsley for extra flavour.
Serve and place the leftover aïoli in a small dish for guests to help themselves.