This dish is wonderfully simple because all the hard work has already been done for you - the octopus is pre-cooked, tender, and ready to take on flavour. A quick blast under a hot grill brings gorgeous charred edges and warmth, while the dressing is nothing more than good olive oil, garlic and fresh parsley, stirred together in seconds. It’s the kind of effortless seafood cooking we love: minimal prep, no complicated steps, just clean, bright flavours that let the octopus shine. Perfect for an easy midweek supper or an impressive dinner with almost no effort.

To make

Prepare the octopus:

Remove the cooked octopus from its packaging. Pat dry, then rub generously with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Lay it on a baking tray.

Grill:

Place the tray under a very hot grill for 5–7 minutes, turning halfway, until the edges lightly char and the skin crisps.

Make the dressing:

While the octopus grills, finely slice a few sprigs of fresh parsley leaves into a chiffonade. Smash and mince 1 garlic cloves with the back of your knife. In a small bowl, combine the parsley and garlic with a generous splash of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Season with a little sea salt.

Serve:

Remove the octopus from the grill. You can slice it into chunky pieces or serve the leg whole. Spoon the garlic-parsley dressing generously over the top, dust with a pinch of paprika, and finish with a wedge of lemon on the side.