Octopus and melon salad

Category: Salads

Ingredients for the octopus

• Melon 1 piccolo
• Octopus 750 g
• Carrots 1
• Celery 2 coste
• Coarse salt q.b.

For the salad

• Celery 2 coste
• Lamb's lettuce 200 g
• Fine salt q.b.
• Extra virgin olive oil q.b.
• Red pepper q.b.
• Radishes 20

Preparation

To prepare the octopus and melon salad, cut the carrot into large pieces (1) and do the same with the celery (2). Fill a pot with water, add the carrot, the celery and a pinch of coarse salt (3), then bring to a boil.

Dip the octopus into the boiling water several times to curl the tentacles (4). Then leave it completely submerged (5) and cook it for about 45 minutes with a lid on. At the end of cooking, drain it and let it cool slightly. In the meantime, remove the outer fibers of the celery with a vegetable peeler, then cut it into thin strips (6).

Cut the melon in half (7), remove the segments (8) and discard the seeds (9).

Also remove the rind (10), then very thinly slice the flesh with a mandoline (11). Thinly slice the radishes as well (12).

When the octopus is warm, remove the eyes and cut it into pieces, dividing the tentacles into chunks and the head into regular pieces (14). Arrange the salad by placing the lamb's lettuce (mâche) on the bottom of the plate (15).

Add the melon slices (16), the celery strips (17) and the octopus (18).

Add the radishes as well. Season with salt (19), a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (20) and finish with some pink peppercorns (20). The octopus and melon salad is ready to be served (21).

Storage

It is recommended to eat the octopus and melon salad immediately.

You can prepare it in advance and keep it in the fridge for a few hours, without dressing.

Tip

If you don't like radishes, you can replace them with julienned carrots.