Marinated Octopus

1.If the octopus hasn't been frozen or tenderized, you should throw it against a hard surface 10 times or more. Put it on a chopping board, cut off the head just below the eyes and discard, then squeeze out and discard the beak, which is in the centre of the tentacles. Rinse out the bodies.

2.Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then blanch the octopus for 30 seconds at a time, repeating 4–5 times. Return the octopus to the saucepan, cover with a lid and simmer for 1 hour.

3.Test the octopus for tenderness - if it's still tough, continue cooking for another 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool, then drain. Cut the tentacles into 2-cm lengths and the bodies into bite-sized pieces.

4.Heat the oil in a skillet, add the vinegar, garlic, 2 Tbsp of parsley, paprika, chilli flakes, capers and octopus. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plastic or ceramic dish and let cool. Season, then cover and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

5.Serve at room temperature with the lemon juice and the remaining parsley.