Octopus Carpaccio

Method

1. Clean the octopus: remove the eyes, beak, and head. Cut off the head and discard the entrails. Wash the octopus thoroughly.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add white wine, coarse salt, the halved shallot, bay leaf, peppercorns, juniper berries, a cork, and 5 basil leaves.
3. When the water is boiling vigorously, dip the octopus in and out of the water 6–7 times to curl the tentacles.
4. Place the octopus in the pot, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook at low heat for 30 minutes.
5. After 30 minutes, seal the pot tightly, turn off the heat, and let the octopus rest in the cooking water for another 30 minutes.
6. Add ice cubes to the pot to create a thermal shock and compact the outer meat. Stir gently until the ice melts.
7. Prepare a round plastic bottle: cut off the top and bottom so you have a cylinder. Do not make holes in the bottom.
8. Separate the tentacles from the head. Cut the head in half. Cut each tentacle individually.
9. Place one tentacle inside the bottle, press down to extract liquid. Add the head pieces, then the remaining tentacles, pressing firmly after each addition to remove excess liquid.
10. With a knife, make vertical cuts along the side of the bottle. Fold the cut edges inward, then wrap the bottle tightly with plastic film, pressing to create a vacuum seal.
11. Refrigerate the bottle for at least 12 hours.
12. Remove the bottle from the fridge, unwrap, and slide out the pressed octopus. Slice it thinly with a sharp knife.
13. For the tomato salad: cut 4 cherry tomatoes into segments, dress with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, balsamic vinegar, and torn basil leaves.
14. Arrange the octopus slices on a plate. Season with a drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and freshly ground black pepper. Top with the tomato salad and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately.