This salad is very simple and takes moments to prepare…it’s got all the classic Italian flavours of fresh lemon, parsley, olive oil and balsamic vinegar with tender octopus, which I buy ready cooked from my Spanish deli in Portobello Road or my local fish monger in Primrose Hill but you can also use the jars of it in olive oil that some supermarkets and delis stock. It’s a perfect starter to a pescatarian dinner, or just as a light supper with crusty bread to mop up the dressing.

Recipe
Serves 2-3

Ingredients 

250g of cooked octopus chopped
400g can or carton of cannellini beans, butter beans work well too if you prefer
2 small heads of red chicory
parsley, a large sprig
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar (I only use Belazu vinegar)
1 lemon juiced
Salt and pepper to taste

How

Chop the chicory part separate the leaves and place in a salad bowl, drain the cannelli beans and rinse under a tap in a colander then drain again and tip over the chicory. Chop the octopus into chunks or rings and add to the salad with whole leaves of the parsley. Now add the lemon juice, the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar then season with salt and pepper to taste. Done!

I shop at:
Waitrose
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Lidl