Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer.
2. Add all the above ingredients and cover.
3. Let the octopus simmer for about an hour, or until tender but not over-cooked. To tell if the octopus is ready, use a tong to hold the tip of one of the tentacles and gently twist it—if it falls off easily, it's ready.
4. Remove the contents from the pot, discarding the bay leaf, peppercorns and garlic, and rinse the octopus well with cold water.
5. Cut each tentacle off of the octopus and slide the slimy pink layer off the tentacles and head, using your hands (much like the loose skin of a roasted red pepper), until left with a pinkish white meat.
6. Cut the the entire octopus into cubes. The size is not very important since the meat should be very tender by now, but I recommend about one square centimeter in size.
7. For the salad:
8. Place the cooked octopus in a bowl.
9. Add the parsley, onion, and lemon juice. Add the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
10. Mix well, cover, and leave to rest for at least an hour in the fridge.
11. Serve chilled, however preferably not straight out of the fridge.