Octopus and potato salad
Coins of sliced tender octopus and fingerling potatoes are simply dressed with olive oil, parsley and lemon. Food editor Leslie Brenner tasted this salad at Bartolotta, an Italian restaurant at the Wynn Las Vegas. “It’s absolutely perfect” she says, “especially with a good rose.”
Place the celery, onion, lemons, parsley sprigs, wine, white wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon salt in a 6-quart stock pot. Fill it with water and bring it to a boil.
Wash the octopus in cold running water and (if not done already) with a paring knife remove the beak, which is where the tentacles meet in the center of the octopus, by cutting a circle around it. Place the octopus in boiling water, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 2 hours for a 2 1/2 - to 3-pound octopus. Boil the potatoes in a separate pot of salted water until tender, 20 minutes. Peel and slice diagonally into one-third-inch-thick pieces.
Carefully remove the octopus from the water. Cool slightly. Cut the tentacles into one-third-inch pieces. Gently mix the octopus, potatoes, chopped parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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