Mediterranean Octopus - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb octopus, fresh and cleaned
2 bay leaves
3 fresh garlic cloves
8 -10 peppercorns
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 small red onion
1 fresh lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Preparation

Bring a large pan of water to a simmer.
Simmer octopus, bay leaves, garlic and peppercorns in a large covered pan of water for about an hour or until tender.
Remove octopus and rinse in cold water. Cut in half and peel outer skin by hand. Cut into 1/2 inch pieces and place in a large bowl.
Add parsley, onion, olive oil and juice of half a lemon or more, to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix well, cover chillt for at least an hour. Serve room temperature or cool, after resting outside of the fridge for at least half an hour. Can be eaten as is served with toothpicks as an appetizer, or over spring greens as a salad (if eating as salad, double the dressing).