When I left home at 17 to go to college, my dad would treat me to homemade ensalada de pulpo at our home in Western NY. He scoured every fish stop in cold Rochester, NY until he found the perfect pulpo. To me, it was the ultimate act of love through food. After my father passed away, my mom took over with the octopus salad treat. Sadly, my mom passed away in 2022, and I found solace in making some of our beloved dishes that brought so many memories. That’s when I decided to start making this Puerto Rican-style octopus salad. 

Preparing the Octopus for the Ensalada de Pulpo

Preparing the perfect octopus salad starts with tenderizing the octopus, a crucial step that sets the foundation for the ensalada de pulpo. Begin by boiling water with a touch of salt, then gently “scare” the octopus by dipping it three times into the boiling water before letting it simmer until tender, for around an hour. This technique ensures an even cook and a tender texture. After cooking, cool the octopus in the refrigerator, ideally overnight, allowing the flavors to come together for a softer texture. 

Assembling the Octopus Salad 

Assembling the octopus salad involves a mix of fresh vegetables and the right balance of dressing. I love crispy bell peppers and thinly sliced red onions. My dad added iceberg lettuce, but I am not a fan as the leaves get soggy, and it has little value added to the dish. Adjust the quantity of peppers, cherry tomatoes, and onions to suit your taste, aiming for a vibrant mix that complements the tender octopus. Drizzle with quality olive oil for richness and vinegar for a zesty lift, ensuring each salad component is well-coated and flavorful. I highly recommend you serve it with crispy tostones on the side. If you can find breadfruit (pana) make some breadfruit tostones! You can prepare this dish a day ahead of time and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container. 

Kitchen Tip

I love preparing octopus salad but hate the strong fishy odor afterward. After cooking the octopus, place a medium saucepan with water and 1/2 of baking soda and simmer for an hour. This technique, combined with a soup-sized bowl filled with a cup of vinegar on the kitchen counter, will eliminate the smell. 

Octopus Salad

Print Recipe

Ensalada de Pulpo is a Puerto Rican-style octopus salad with onions, peppers, and olives. It’s usually served with tostones.

• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb of octopus (raw or pre-cooked)
• 1/2 green pepper diced
• 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes, James
• Halved
• 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup olives, halved 
• 2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar 
• Salt and pepper

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Instructions

Prep the octopus: Bring water and a tbsp of salt to a boil in a large pot. Rinse the octopus with cold water. Once the water comes to a boil, dip the octopus three times in the boiling water. Lower the temperature to a simmer and cook the octopus in water until tender. 

 

Remove the octopus from the water, place it in an airtight container, and refrigerate for at least two hours (you can also leave it overnight).

 

Once the octopus is cooled, chop it into 1-inch pieces and set aside. 

 

Prep the vegetables: The quantity is just a guideline. Use more or less of your preferred ingredients to suit your taste. Dice the peppers, cut the cherry tomatoes into fourths, halve the olives, and cut the red onions into very thin slices. 

 

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients, adding olive oil and mixing well. Follow with vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve with tostones. 

• Author: Jessica van Dop DeJesus
• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 1 Hour
• Category: Appetizers
• Cuisine: Puerto Rican
• Diet: Gluten Free

The post How to Make Puerto Rican Style Octopus Salad (Ensalada de Pulpo) appeared first on The Dining Traveler.

Coquito, a Puerto Rican coconut and rum cocktail, is a fixture in any Boricua home during the holidays. I remember how my mom made Coquito to gift to friends and family throughout my childhood. As an adult, I’ve taken my mom’s recipe to everywhere I’ve lived—from Japan to Belgium. A few years ago, I had a chance to share my family’s recipe and story for Eating Well magazine. I made a video in 2020 on how to make Coquito that garnered over 100k views on YouTube and Facebook. Like many home cooks who share family recipes on social media, I’ve been subjected to others nitpicking my recipes. One of the funniest comments was on Facebook from a woman named Pilar, who said I was a cheater because I used canned coconut milk. So, I decided to learn how to make Coquito with coconut milk from scratch as an experiment to see if it’s worth it. Here’s my takeaway:

How to Make Coconut Milk from Scratch for Your Coquito

I’ll be honest: as many times as I’ve made Coquito at home, I’ve always used canned coconut milk and cream of coconut. For this experiment of making Coquito with coconut milk from scratch, I experimented with different ways to make coconut milk. For me, cracking the coconut shell was the trickiest step. The easiest method I found was to freeze the coconut overnight, which causes the liquid to expand and create cracks in the shell. You can let the coconut thaw, or to make it less messy, I recommend hammering it until it opens. Then, use a sturdy spoon to pry the coconut meat out. Finally, peel the brown part of the coconut with a vegetable peeler. This process should take 5-10 minutes. You can find whole coconuts at African, Asian, or Latin supermarkets.

Once the coconut flesh is ready, coarsely chop and add it to the blender. Add two cups of water and a dash of salt. Start blending slowly, especially if your blender is less powerful. Mix until the coconut is liquified–it will have a smoothie-like texture. Grab a large bowl and place a cheesecloth over the bowl. Pour the coconut milk mixture over the cheesecloth in small batches and twist and squeeze until you get all the liquid out. One coconut will yield around 2 ½ cups of coconut milk. I recommend making the coconut milk a day ahead to save you some time.

Making Cream of Coconut from Scratch

Like most Puerto Ricans, I use Coco Lopez, a cream of coconut that’s a staple in many of our homes. I decided to make the cream of coconut from coconut milk made from scratch. It was simple to make: sugar, coconut milk, and a little patience. Mix the coconut milk and sugar over medium heat in a heavy saucepan until the sugar is dissolved and thickened. Remove from heat and let it completely cool. This can also be made a day ahead. Like canned coconut milk, it will bring all the fat to the top. Don’t worry about that–it will all go in the blender.

Preparing the Coquito

After you prepare the coconut milk and the cream of coconut from scratch, the following steps are the same as my classic coquito recipe or even my pistachio coquito recipe. I don’t use powdered spices, but I steep mine in the coconut milk and let it sit for five minutes to let the flavors come together. Everybody has a unique way to prepare their Coquito, and I love to use ginger in mine. My parents did, and I love the flavor profile that it brings to the Coquito.

Tips on How to Make Coquito with Coconut Milk from Scratch

If you’re short on time, make the coconut milk from scratch the day ahead and store it in a mason jar or another airtight container. I also suggest letting the Coquito sit overnight for the flavors to come together and have a creamier consistency. I love serving my Coquito in coupes (vintage champagne glasses) I bought at Goodwill over ten years ago for my wedding with a sprinkle of powdered cinnamon.

Is making Coquito with coconut milk from scratch worth it? I will be completely honest: I didn’t see a huge difference. The coconut flavor was a bit more pronounced, and it didn’t feel as sugary as the one with the processed coconut cream. However, if you only have time to open a few cans and put them in the blender, do it that way! The holiday season can be hectic, so do what you feel is best. I do have to say that banging a coconut with a hammer DID feel good!

How do you make Coquito at home?

How to Make Coquito with Coconut Milk from Scratch

Print Recipe

Do you want to make coquito the old-fashioned way? Learn how to make coquito with coconut milk made from scratch. This classic Puerto Rican holiday cocktail is the perfect way to get your holiday party started. 

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 2 liters

Ingredients

For Coconut Milk:

1 whole coconut

2 cups water

For Cream of Coconut:

1 cup coconut milk

¾ cup of sugar

Coquito

Remainder of the coconut milk (around 1 ¼ – 1 ½ cups)

3 cinnamon stick

3 thin slices of peeled ginger

3 whole cloves

1 star anise seed pod (optional)

1 can of condensed milk

1 can of evaporated milk

Cream of coconut

3/4 – 1 1/4 cups of light rum 

Ground cinnamon for garnish

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Instructions

Make Coconut Milk

Peel coconut flesh (tips in the post), coarsely chop it and add it to a high-speed blender with 2 cups of water and a dash of salt.

Start blending slowly, especially if your blender is less powerful. Continue to blend until the coconut is liquified–it will have a smoothie-like texture. Grab a large bowl and place a cheesecloth over the bowl. Pour the coconut milk mixture over the cheesecloth in small batches and twist and squeeze until you get all the liquid out.

Make Cream of Coconut

Mix the coconut milk and sugar over medium heat in a heavy saucepan until the sugar is dissolved and thickened. Remove from heat and let it completely cool.

Note: if you refrigerate, the fat will solidify and separate. That’s no biggie; just add everything to the blender. 

Make Coquito

Mix spices with coconut milk over medium heat in a heavy saucepan for around five minutes. Let it steep for five minutes and let it cool. Strain the spices and set the cinnamon sticks aside. 

Add all the ingredients to the mix and blend well. Optional: add a tiny sliver of ginger to the blender. Keep refrigerated for up to 10 days. 

• Author: DiningTraveler
• Prep Time: 30
• Cook Time: 5
• Category: Cocktails
• Cuisine: Puerto Rican

The post How to Make Coquito with Coconut Milk from Scratch appeared first on The Dining Traveler.