John Cioffi's Tasmanian Sea Dragon

• 1 small octopus, 1 to 1 1/2 pounds
• 5 to 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Several sprigs of parsley
• Dash Tabasco sauce (optional)
• Bibb lettuce

1. Have octopus cleaned at fish store.
2. Soak for 1 hour.
3. Rinse with fresh water.
4. In large pot, brown garlic in olive oil and add octopus, 1/8 cup vinegar, salt and pepper.
5. Simmer, covered, 45 minutes, being careful to add water if liquid evaporates.
6. Pot should have about 1/4 inch of liquid.
7. Add remaining wine vinegar and parsley and cook 30 minutes more.
8. Octopus is done when fork-tender.
9. Add more salt and pepper if needed, and Tabasco.
10. Remove octopus and reduce liquid in pan by rapid boiling for 10 minutes.
11. To serve, slice tentacles in bite-size pieces, arrange on a bed of lettuce and cover with gravy from pan.
12. Can be served with rice.

octopus, olive oil, garlic, wine vinegar, salt, pepper, parsley, tabasco sauce, bibb lettuce

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2215 (may not work)