Galician octopus — boiled in a copper pot (traditionally), sliced, and dressed with pimentón (Spanish paprika), coarse salt, and olive oil — requires a specific tenderising technique. Raw octopus is nearly unchewable; correctly prepared octopus is tender and yielding. The traditional technique: the octopus is "frightened" — dipped in and out of boiling water three times before being submerged for cooking. The thermal shock alternately contracts and relaxes the muscle fibres, beginning the tenderisation process.
- **The "susto" (fright):** Hold the octopus by the head and dip the tentacles into vigorously boiling water for 5 seconds, then remove. Repeat three times. This thermal shock begins protein denaturation and starts the tenderisation process. - **The copper pot (traditional):** Copper conducts heat evenly and at the correct rate for octopus cooking — aluminium is the acceptable substitute. [VERIFY] Koehler's copper pot note. - **Cooking time:** 45–60 minutes at a steady simmer (not a full boil). Test: insert a skewer at the thickest part of a tentacle — it should meet almost no resistance. Full resistance: more time needed. Complete ease: over-cooked. - **Cooling in the liquid:** The octopus is left to cool in its cooking liquid — it continues cooking slightly from residual heat. Remove from liquid when the liquid has cooled to room temperature. - **The pimentón:** Both dulce (sweet) and picante (hot) pimentón applied — the dulce for base, the picante for heat. Pimentón de la Vera specifically — oak-smoked and protected origin.
Spain: The Cookbook