Octopus Cocktail – Coctel de pulpo

I had some cooked octopus left over from my previous recipe, so I decided to prepare one of my favourite dishes: coctel de pulpo – octopus cocktail.  As expected, there are many different versions of this dish in Mexico, usually served in wide-mouthed glasses or bowls.  Other than cooked octopus and some of its cooking liquid, the common elements are lime juice and onions; after that, it becomes a labyrinth of condiments, fresh produce and secret ingredients out of flasks, from ketchup, cucumbers and Maggi™ sauce, to unexpected additions, such as mayonnaise, fruit, or orange soda.  Continuing with the Sinaloa state theme, my rendition includes fresh vegetables, and a concoction of tomato and cooking liquid from the octopus.  Meat both from snake-like tentacles, or rings sliced from the body work well, since all gets chopped to bite-size pieces.  For detailed directions on how to clean and cook octopus, visit my previous post, or click on link below for printable directions; if the octopus was purchased already cooked, either salted water or clam juice may be used instead of cooking liquid.

Sinaloa Style Octopus Cocktail –

Coctel de pulpo estilo Sinaloa

Printable recipe:  Sinaloa Style Octopus Cocktail

Printable Directions: How to Clean and Cook Octopus

Ingredients (for two servings)

2/3 lb (300g) cooked octopus
2 cups cooking liquid from octopus (or clam juice, or water with ½ tsp salt)
¼ cup tomato paste or ½ cup tomato sauce
½ cup tomatoes; washed, stem end removed, and chopped
½ cup onions; peeled, and chopped
½ cup cucumber; washed, peeled, and cubed
½ cup cilantro; washed, and chopped
2 limes
Salt and pepper, to taste
To serve:
Condiments, such as Huichol™ sauce, ground chiltepín chile, etc.
Soda crackers or tostadas (crisped tortillas)

Place cooking liquid from octopus (or clam juice, or salted water) in a pot over high heat.  Add tomato sauce or paste (photo below, left), and bring to boil, stirring to dissolve (photo below, right):

Continue cooking and stirring for two to three minutes.  Remove from heat and reserve.

Chop octopus to bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl (photo below, left).  Add tomatoes, cucumber, onions and half the cilantro; season with a little salt and pepper, then squeeze the juice from one lime over (photo below, centre).  Mix everything together (photo below, right):

This mix may be refrigerated until serving time.

To serve, divide octopus mix between two tall glasses (photo below, left).  Fill each glass with reserved tomato broth (photo below, right):

Top with the rest of the cilantro, and serve with soda crackers or tostadas, sliced lime, and spicy sauces or ground dry chile:

Eat with a spoon, to catch a little of everything with each scoop, including some broth:

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I am sharing my recipe at What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link-Up #360 with Helen @ The Lazy Gastronome.

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I am bringing my recipe to Full Plate Thursday #582 with Miz Helen @ Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

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I am also sharing my post at Thursday Favourite Things #534, with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, Theresa @ Shoestring Elegance and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

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I am joining Fiesta Friday #426 with Angie @ Fiesta Friday.