SERVES 4
So associated with Galicia is this way of preparing octopus that while it is called á feira (fair style) in Galicia, in the rest of Spain it is generally called a la gallega (Galician style). Frequently nestled on a bed of potatoes to absorb the flavors, the tender octopus gets a drizzle of olive oil and a generous dousing of both sweet and spicy paprikas.
Freezing an octopus for at least 5 days will break down the hard fibers and make it more tender. Or, do what I have been shown by fishermen in Galicia: grasp the fresh creature by the head and swing it, giving it thirty-three powerful smacks against a hard surface. But this is advisable out on the docks, not on your kitchen counter.
Be careful not to overcook the octopus. It will be tender at 20 or 30 minutes, then toughen up and need to be boiled all day to become tender again.
1. Thaw the octopus gently in the refrigerator. Fill a large pot or stockpot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add a pinch of salt and the onion and, following tradition, dunk the octopus three times in the water “to frighten it.” When the water returns to a boil, submerge the octopus in the water, cover the pot, and cook at a rolling boil over high heat for 20 minutes, or until tender. It’s done when a toothpick or tip of a knife pricked quite deep into the upper part of a tentacle enters with little resistance. Remove the pot from the heat, leave covered, and let the octopus sit in the water for 15 minutes. Remove the octopus and place on a large platter to cool.
2. Wash but do not peel the potatoes. Place them in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt and the bay leaf, reduce the heat to medium-low, partly cover the pot, and gently boil until the potatoes are tender and a knife tip penetrates with little resistance, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain and cool. Once cool, peel.
3. Cut the potatoes crosswise into 1/3-inch-/1-cm-thick slices and arrange them on a large round plate or wooden platter. Cut the tentacles of the octopus with kitchen shears into ¼- to ½>-inch-/½>- to 1.25-cm-thick rounds and arrange them, overlapping the rounds, on top of the potatoes. Season with salt flakes and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Mix the sweet and the spicy paprikas together as desired—half and half for sharper, more sweet for softer, and so on—and sprinkle over the top before serving.
