This vibrant couscous salad is a satisfying, flavor-packed dish that can easily stand as a complete meal. Tender vinegared octopus pairs beautifully with briny olives, capers, aromatic herbs, and crunchy carob rusks, bringing Mediterranean flair to your table.
Recipe by: Olga Eleftheroglou
Photography: Dimitris Albanos
Food Styling: The Eaters Studio
⏱️ Prep Time: 50 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 6
🧂 Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 500g couscous (pasta-style, not the grain)
- 10 black or green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 small dried onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
- 2–3 carob rusks (or paximadia), broken into bite-sized pieces
- Leaves from 3–4 sprigs of fresh mint, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon white vinegar
- Zest from ½ lemon
For the Vinegared Octopus:
- 1 octopus (about 1 kg)
- 120 ml white vinegar
- 180 ml olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare the Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, white vinegar, and lemon zest. Set the dressing aside to allow the flavors to meld while you prepare the other components.
2. Cook the Octopus:
- Rinse and clean the octopus, separating the tentacles.
- Place the octopus in a large pot, cover with water, and simmer over low heat with the lid on for about 30 minutes, or until tender.
- Add the vinegar and olive oil to the pot and continue cooking uncovered for another 10–15 minutes, allowing the octopus to soak up the flavor.
- Season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Let the octopus cool in the pot, absorbing the aromatic broth.
- Once cool, remove 400g of octopus, chop into bite-sized pieces, and set aside. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge—it makes an excellent appetizer with ouzo or tsipouro.
3. Assemble the Salad:
- Cook the couscous according to the package directions in salted boiling water. Drain and allow it to cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled couscous with the chopped octopus, olives, sliced onion, and capers. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the prepared dressing and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Finish by adding the crumbled carob rusks and chopped mint just before serving for added crunch and freshness.
🍴 Serving Tip:
This salad is best served at room temperature or slightly chilled. It makes an excellent main course or a stunning addition to a summer mezze spread.