Octopus Tartare/Tartaro de Polvo

Octopus is a real Portuguese favourite. The two traditional ways of preparing this versatile and delicious mollusc are in a flavourful rice or grilled with olive oil and garlic. In any case the octopus is always boiled before any further preparation. Frozen octopus is much more reliable than fresh, in terms of ensuring the meat is tender. There are a number of methods (and myths) for boiling. Our favourite one at the moment is to boil strait from frozen for about 1 hour for a 1.5-2 kg octopus. This gives it an intense red colour and helps concentrate the taste. This tartare recipe is great for leftovers and makes a delicious starter.

1 cup of finely chopped (cooked) octopus

1/2 cup of finely chopped seeded cherry tomatoes

1 finely chopped spring onion

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 finely chopped red chilli

Pinch of fleur du sel

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Once everything is finely chopped, mix well together, taste for seasoning and put into ramekin or small tart dish
2. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (and up to a couple of days). When ready to serve, place on a plate and drizzle with some olive oil.