Octopus and Melon Salad

Name: Octopus and Melon Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Melon small 1; Octopus 1.7 lbs; Carrots 1; Celery 2 ribs; Coarse salt to taste; Celery 2 ribs; Lamb's lettuce 6.7 cups; Fine salt to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Red pepper to taste; Radishes 20

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Serving: 4

PRESENTATION

Octopus and melon salad pairs savory, tender octopus with the sweetness of melone retato — the ribbed, netted-skin melon similar to cantaloupe — and the combination is more balanced than it sounds: refined in flavor, effortless to put together. Lamb's lettuce forms a mild base, while crunchy celery and radishes add color and snap. The whole thing is served strictly cold, which is less a suggestion than a requirement for the dish to read as bright and refreshing rather than heavy.

The make-ahead setup is one of its genuine strengths: the octopus can be cooked well in advance, and the assembled salad keeps in the refrigerator without losing anything — no last-minute cooking, no hot kitchen. It works equally well as a starter, a light main, or the focus of a Mediterranean outdoor lunch on a hot day.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for the octopus: Melon 1 - small; Octopus 1.7 lbs (750 g); Carrots 1; Celery 2 ribs; Coarse salt to taste

For the salad: Celery 2 ribs; Lamb's lettuce 6.7 cups (200 g); Fine salt to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Red pepper to taste; Radishes 20

Preparation

How to prepare Octopus and Melon Salad

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.