Octupus “á feira“

Octopus "á feira" is a traditional recipe you'll find at all the Galician traditional festivities, and in most restaurants’ menus.

Ingredients for the octopus "á feira": octopus, water, oil, paprika and coarse sea salt.

Prepare the octopus: If the octopus is fresh beat it 33 times (according to tradition) on a hard surface, such as the rocks on the beach or a resistant countertop. Another option is to freeze it and then let it thaw.

Boil plenty of unsalted water, preferably in a copper pot. If you froze the octopus, let it thaw completely before cooking. If you beat it instead, it’s ready to be cooked.

Cooking the octopus: Clean the octopus in the meantime, removing the head’s innards, mouth and eyes, and rubbing the pads thoroughly. When the water comes to a boil, "scare" the octopus: grab it by the head and dip it into the boiling water three consecutive times. When you see the tentacles curl, leave it in the water and boil for 30 minutes, prodding it from time to time to check if it’s ready.

Octopus “á feira” presentation: after letting it rest in hot water (approx. 20 to 30 minutes), take out the octopus and cut it into 1/2 cm (1/4 inch) thick slices with scissors, place on a dish (preferably wooden), and season with good virgin olive oil, coarse sea salt and paprika or hot pepper, according to taste. A good Barrantes or Ribeira Sacra red wine and good country bread are essential accompaniments.