Prawn & Octopus Cocktail

From 'Eat Mexico' by Lesley Tellez

It may not be traditional, but this is a great cocktail to start off your weekend.

Ingredients:

• Salt
• 450g raw octopus, cleaned and cut into 2.5cm pieces
• ⅛ medium onion, plus 75g chopped
• 1 dried Mexican bay leaf
• 450g raw prawns, rinsed, peeled, and deveined
• 180g tomato ketchup
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 limes, cut into quarters
• 25g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, stoned, and sliced
• 12 tostadas, to serve
• Valentina salsa, to serve

Recipe:

1. Fill a medium saucepan two-thirds full with water. Bring to a rapid boil and add 1 teaspoon salt. When the salt dissolves, add the octopus. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 45 minutes, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove the octopus from the water and set aside to cool. Refrigerate once it has reached room temperature.
2. Rinse the pan out and again fill two-thirds full with water. Add the onion wedge and bay leaf, and bring to a vigorous boil. Add a hefty pinch of salt, then add the prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes until just tender and pink. Transfer the prawns to a bowl and strain, reserving 180ml of the cooking liquid. Leave the prawns to cool slightly, toss with a little salt and refrigerate. Leave the cooking liquid to cool before using.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup. Reserved cooking liquid, lime juice and ¼ teaspoon salt.
4. Spoon the prawns and octopus into tall cocktail glasses. Top each with about 4 tablespoons sauce, enough to coat the seafood, and garnish with a small handful of the chopped coriander, onion, and 2-3 avocado slices.
5. Serve immediately with tostadas, lime wedges, and Valentina.