Preserved Octopus in Olive Oil

These cephalopod mollusks not only stand out for being the most intelligent in the ocean, but also for being one of the most delicious and sought-after delicacies. Octopuses inhabit all kinds of oceans, so their habitat depends only on the species: for example, the common octopus(Octopus vulgaris), the species marketed in this Canthynnus preserve, usually inhabits shallow tide pools, i.e., the pools that form between rocks and sediments near the seashore.

Once the piece has been caught, it is transferred to the factory where it is thoroughly cleaned and cooked. When the octopus has acquired the desired texture, it is chopped by hand to obtain pieces of the right size. The portions obtained are canned and covered with a layer of olive oil and salt.

The peculiarity of canned octopus in olive oil is the ease of having it at hand without having to gut, cut or cook the animal. One of the most famous recipes with this cephalopod is, undoubtedly, the Galician octopus. If you want to prepare it at home, cut some potatoes into slices, cook them and, once they are ready, put them as a base with the octopus on top and sprinkle sweet or spicy paprika and add a dash of extra virgin olive oil. It could also look great in cold rolls of rice paper, on toast with a little chopped garlic, parsley and lemon or seasoned over grilled lettuce hearts.

Its shelf life is 6 years from the date of manufacture, however, canning experts advise that, once the product is opened, it should be consumed within 24 hours. The ideal place for storage should be cool, dry and not exceeding 35ºC, without the need for industrial refrigeration.