Soppressata Di Polpo: Octopus Salami with Arugula Salad, Shaved Fennel & Blood Orange

For the octopus “salami”:

1. Wash the octopus thoroughly under cold running water. Carefully work through its tentacles to wash off the sand. Click on the related blog link at any point during this step-by-step for photos of each step.

2. Using a 12-quart stock pot, put in roughly chopped celery, carrot, onion, smashed garlic cloves, herbs, bay leaves, the vinegar, the salt (the water should taste like sea—very salty) and peppercorns. Fill the pot with enough water that will eventually cover the octopus completely (don’t put the octopus in yet) and bring to a boil.

3. Place a second small pot with just plain water next to the 12-quart pot and bring to a boil. Holding the octopus with tongs dunk it slowly into the smaller pot for a few seconds. Do this 7 times in a row, dipping into the small pot until its tentacles have curled up.

Kitchen tip: Curled tentacles will result in a beautiful presentation when the salami is sliced.

4. Transfer the octopus into the 12-quart pot, bring it to boil again then lower the temperature and simmer for 50-60 minutes. Make sure that the octopus is completely covered by water. Do not let it come to a boil, it should only be simmering.

5. Meanwhile, using a small paring knife and scissors cut off the upper third of an empty 1 liter clear plastic bottle. Discard the top and cut 6 small holes on the bottom part of the bottle. Put it aside.

6. After the full cook time, use a slotted spoon or a spider to transfer the octopus to a cutting board. Let it cool slightly.

7. When the octopus is cool enough to handle cut off the head and slice it in half. Cut the body in half and slice off each tentacle.

8. Take a small bowl or dish and place the cut out plastic bottle in it so that the excess liquid could drain through the holes into the bowl.

9. Place the tentacles along the inner walls of the plastic bottle with the suction cups facing out. Fill the center of the bottle with the remaining octopus and head pieces. When the process is complete use a glass bottle of water, press by placing it right on top of the octopus inside the plastic bottle (make sure you clean the glass bottle with soap and water and pat dry it thoroughly before pressing it on top of the octopus). Press down to smash the octopus into the bottom of the bottle.

10. The final assembly has to be placed in the fridge for at least 6 hours. So move the bottle (still in the glass dish) into the refrigerator. Put it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and if possible use the shelf above to press down on the glass bottle to further increase the pressure on the octopus. Another option is to cut the edges of the plastic bottle vertically down to the level of the octopus meat. Fold the cut edges on top of the octopus, wrap the whole thing in a sheet of plastic wrap and put it in the fridge with a weight on top to compress the octopus.

The final product should be a compressed into a cylindrical shaped mass of octopus meat that looks like thick salami. It’s important to create as much weight pressure on top of the octopus as possible; its own juices will act as gelatin and will help to hold the cylindrical shape. This recipe can be made 1-2 days in advance.

Kitchen tip: Slice it right before your guests arrive so that the salami retains its shape.

For the arugula salad with shaved fennel and blood orange:

1. Using a mandolin or a very sharp knife, thinly slice a fennel bulb. If not served immediately, place slices into a bowl of ice water to prevent it from discoloration and preserve its crispness.

2. Slice off the bottom and top of the blood orange and using a paring knife carefully cut away rind in strips. Working over a bowl, slice into the fruit along each membrane letting the flesh fall into the bowl. Squeeze all the juices from the remaining membrane over the bowl. Discard the rind and membranes.

3. Drain fennel slices on a paper towel. When ready to serve, combine the arugula with the blood orange segments and juices and the fennel slices. Drizzle it all with good quality extra virgin olive oil, Champagne vinegar and some freshly ground black pepper to taste. Finish with a sprinkling of fleur de sel.

To serve the octopus salami: Remove the “salami” from the plastic bottle. Slice the salami thinly, arrange it on a platter, drizzle with olive oil, liberally sprinkle with black lava salt or fleur de sel, freshly ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Top it off with the arugula salad in the center of the platter and serve!