Pulpo (Octopus) Salad

• 4 or 5 baby octopuses, about five pounds
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 2 cups of finely chopped celery
• 15 pitted California block olives
• ½ cup olive oil
• 8 to 12 tablespoons lemon juice, according to taste
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves

• Have a fish dealer prepare the octopus for cooking.

• Bring a large quantity of water to a boil and add the octopus, one or two at a time. When the water returns to the boil and removes, let cool briefly. Repeat this one more time. Cook all the octopus in the same fashion and let cool. 

• Bring another large quantity of water to a boil and add salt to taste. Add all the octopus and simmer for 20 to 40 minutes or until the octopus are tender. Cooking time will depend on the size and age of the octopus. Drain them and chill under cold running water when the octopus is tender.

• Cut off and discard any non-fleshy parts of the octopus, if there are any. If the “beak,” a plastic-like small ball, is in an octopus, remove and discard it.

• Cut the octopus into bite-size pieces. There should be about five cups.

• Place the octopus pieces in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Toss to blend and let stand an hour or longer before serving.

Yield: 12 or more servings

• 8 cups of canned tomatoes, preferably imported from Italy.
• ¼ pound lard
• 1/3 pound ham, preferably prosciutto, cut into very thin strips, about 1 ½ cups.
• Salt to taste.
• Freshly ground pepper to taste.
• ¼ cup freshly snipped basil leaves, or one tablespoon dried crushed basil. 

• Using the hands, crush the tomatoes. 

• Heat lard and add the onions. Cook, often stirring, until the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

• Add the ham and cook for five minutes.

• Add the tomatoes and cook for about two hours, often stirring to prevent sticking. 

• Add salt, pepper, and basil. 

Yield: about six cups of sauce.  

• 14 slices ordinary, supermarket white bread with crust 
• Sliced mozzarella cheese, each slice about a quarter-inch thick or slightly thicker (see instructions in the paragraph below.
• Flour for dredging 
• 5 eggs well-beaten 
• Fat for deep frying

• 8 tablespoons butter 
• 10 anchovies 
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley 
• ¼ cup drained capers, optional 
• ½ cup brown beef gravy, available in cans

• Trim the crust from the bread to make neat squares (see note). If you can purchase mozzarella cheese in a loaf shape (the loaf size is approximately that of a loaf of bread), cut off 12 slices, matching the shape and sizes of the bread slices as closely as possible. Make two stacks of sandwiches and bread slices top and bottom. If a regular package of mozzarella is used, proceed differently. Cut the bread squares in half to make 28 rectangles. Cut the mozzarella into 24 slices, matching the shape and sizes of the rectangles of bread as closely as possible. Make four stacks of sandwiches with slices of bread on top and bottom. Secure each sandwich with two skewers to hold the sandwiches together as they cook. 

• Dredge all the skewered sandwiches in flour. Coat thoroughly with the egg and place the sandwiches on a rack until ready to fry. This may be done half an hour or so in advance.

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

• Heat the oil for deep frying, and when it is very hot and almost smoking, add the sandwiches. Cook about three minutes turning once, or until golden brown all over. It may be necessary to fry the sandwiches in two steps. Drain on a paper towel. 

• Combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan and simmer briefly, stirring until anchovies are “melted” and the sauce smooth. 

• Place the skewered sandwiches on a buttered dish and bake for about five minutes or until sandwiches are piping hot throughout. Remove the skewers cut each sandwich crosswise into two or three portions. Serve with the anchovy sauce spooned on top.  

Yield: Eight to twelve servings.

• 6 meaty slices of veal shank, 4 inches thick, cut across the marrow bone 
• Salt and freshly ground pepper for dredging 
• 3 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion 
• 1/2 cup chopped celery 
• 1 cup chopped carrots zest from 2 lemons 
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine 
• 4 whole bay leaf 
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley veal broth to cover 3/4 of the ossobuco 
• 2 cups brown gravy

• Sprinkle veal with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Shake off excess. Heat oil in a large, heavy pot, large enough to hold veal shanks in one layer standing upright. Brown veal all over for about 30 minutes. Add onions, carrots, celery, lemon zest, and bay leaves.  

• Cook, stirring for five minutes. Stir in the wine and cook for one minute. Add veal broth, brown gravy, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, occasionally turning, until tender and coming away from the bone. Serve over risotto.

Yield: 6 servings.