Dried Octopus Over Cabbage Salad

Dried octopus is a simple Mediterranean product surviving from the times the Phoenicians first introduced it to the Spanish coast, where it endured for centuries as fishermen’s food. Although in the majority of beachside cafes that still happen to offer it as a tapa, it is usually presented in an unappetizing way with a gummy or chewy texture. What’s certain, is that this masterful combination with cabbage salad, proposed by Rosa Macías at FM, together with the insight of her husband, Paco Martín, in the selection and preparation of the product, has transformed this combination of modest ingredients into an exceptional informal recipe that plays with spectacular visual, textural and flavorful contrasts. The succulent, elasticity of the immaculate cephalopod and its toasted skin, full of flavor from the Maillard reaction, countersigned by the subtle sweet aftertaste and crispiness of the cabbage. In short, an ancient recipe of the Motril coast elevated to popular haute cuisine.