Octopus, Galician Style

1. 1

   Thaw octopus if necessary, either for 24 hours in refrigerator, or for a few hours in a couple of changes of cold water.

2. 2

   With a scissors, remove skinny tips of tentacles and, cutting through webbing that connects them, separate the 8 tentacles and discard head.

3. 3

   (Alternatively, you can cook the octopus whole and cut it up after cooking.)

4. 4

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.

5. 5

   Put octopus in water and, when it returns to boil, cover and adjust heat so water simmers gently.

6. 6

   Cook an hour or so, until octopus is tender.

7. 7

   Meanwhile peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch slices.

8. 8

   Lower them into water and cook until tender, about a half hour.

9. 9

   Remove if they're done before octopus, and keep warm.

10. 10

    When octopus is tender, remove it and drain.

11. 11

    Put potatoes on a platter and cut octopus into pieces (again, a scissors is easiest); top potatoes with it.

12. 12

    Drizzle all liberally with pimenton, olive oil and coarse salt, and serve hot or warm.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.