Pulpo Gallego (GALICIA)
1 octopus (2kg), cleaned and ready
1kg potatoes, cleaned and halved
sea salt Pimentón de La Vera (smoked)
good olive oil
Slowly simmer the octopus in a large pan of water for up to 40 minutes until tender. Let the octopus rest in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove and leave to wait in a bowl. Using the same water, boil the potatoes for 15 minutes. Strain, remove the skins, slice and arrange on a serving plate or wooden platter. Cut the tentacles into roughly 1cm pieces and arrange in a layer on top of the sliced potatoes. Sprinkle with pimentón and salt, then drizzle with plenty of olive oil. Serve with crusty bread.
Rías Baixas
My first visit to Galicia a decade ago was on a wine trip. Or so I had been led to believe. The invitation had come from the Rías Baixas regional consejo, after all, and, as I leafed through the schedule over breakfast on my first day, I found a list of producers' addresses that, put together, charted a mazy course around the fjords, estuaries and wide beaches of the home of Albariño.
But the first stop of the week was not a winery or a vineyard or a tasting room. Our hosts had instead decided to collect us from our hotel in the centre of the estuary town of Pontevedra and take us on a short stroll to the Lérez river waterfront to visit the Mercado de Abastos local central market.
This story is from the February 2023 edition of Decanter.
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This story is from the February 2023 edition of Decanter.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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