Pickled Octopus

I have always liked Greek pickled octopus but didn't realise it was easy to make. I got this recipe from a class I attended at the Sydney Fish Market Cooking School. If you can't find a pre bashed octopus you can do this using a wooden rolling pin and belting the octopus about 30-40 times (advice from the fishmonger) I suggest doing it outdoors!

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Yields: 2 jars

Ingredients

• 1 -1 1⁄2 kg  octopus
• 3⁄4 cup olive oil
• 2⁄3 cup red wine vinegar
• 5  sprigs  lemon thyme
• 1  garlic clove, peeled & sliced
• 1 -2  sterlised  jar

Directions

1. If you can buy cleaned octopus you can skip the next stage.
2. Gut the octopus and peel the skin from the octopus. Remove the beak (it is located at the top of the legs).
3. Place the octopus in large pan with 1 cup water. Cook over medium/low heat. The octopus will give off a lot of liquid but check ocassionally that there is still enough liquid in the pan.
4. Cook for about 1 -1 1/2 hours. Test with a skew, it should easily pierce the flesh.
5. Remove from pan and allow to cool slightly or cool enough to handle.
6. Slice tentacles into 3cm lengths and body into pieces.
7. Mix up the dressing ingredients. Check dressing that it is not too vinegary as vinegar strenght is so variable.
8. Pack the octopus in the sterlised jars and pour over the marinade.
9. Let sit in the refrigerator for 5 days before eating.
10. Serve as part of meze.