Polvo à Lagareiro

Freeze the octopus for 48 hours, or buy it frozen, then thaw it overnight in the fridge. The freezing is what makes it tender.

Peel the onion. Simmer the octopus in a large pot of water with the whole onion and the bay leaves for 40 to 50 minutes, until a skewer slides into a thick tentacle easily. Rest it in the water for 15 minutes.

Lift out the octopus, bring its cooking water back to the boil and boil about 12 small potatoes whole in their skins in it until tender, about 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 220°C.

Press each potato with the heel of your hand or the base of a glass until it cracks open but holds together. The cracks are what catch the oil.

Cut the octopus into tentacles, discarding the beak if it is still there. Break the garlic heads into cloves, leaving them unpeeled. Put the potatoes and garlic in a roasting dish, sit the tentacles on top and pour over most of the olive oil.

Roast for 25 minutes, until the potato edges are crisp and the octopus has browned.

Chop the parsley. Finish with the coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, the parsley and the last of the olive oil.