Pickled octopus with cucumber and black olives

2kg large octopus tentacles

1 tsp white peppercorns

3 cups (750ml) olive oil

10 garlic cloves, peeled

3 fresh bay leaves

1 cup (250ml) verjuice

1/2 cup (125ml) lemon juice

1 tsp dried Greek oregano (rigani)

Thinly sliced cucumber, torn black olives and flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve

Preheat oven to 90°C. To confit octopus, place octopus, peppercorns, oil, 5 garlic cloves and 1 bay leaf in a baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and place in oven for 5 hours or until tender. Remove from oven and cool completely in the oil.

Place confit octopus and 1 cup (250ml) confit oil in a 2L (8 cup) sterilised jar. Add verjuice, lemon juice, oregano, remaining 5 garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves and 200ml water, and seal with a lid. Set aside in a cool, dark place, turning jar every 2 hours, for 6 hours to pickle. Chill until needed.

Remove pickled octopus from jar and cut into large pieces, then serve with cucumber, olive, and parsley leaves.