Octopus salad with mixed vegetables and olives

Rich, colourful, delicious and easy to put together, this salad will satisfy your appetite to the full! Nice during Lent for those who fast but at the same time a tasty sea-food salad for everybody and for all seasons to enjoy with some chilled wine

From a recipe found in an old leaflet of "ELAIS",
an oil and margarine Greek company

Ingredients (for 4-6 people):
300gr. courgettes, finely grated
1Kg of octopus, already boiled and cut in medium pieces
1 large carrot, finely grated (or cut in thin strips)
3/4 tea-cup of olive oil
1 green bell pepper, cut in small cubes
1 red bell pepper, cut in small cubes
1 vegetable stock cube, finely crumbled (into powder)
15 green olives
2 tbsp of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2/3 tea-cup of plain vinegar
salt
pepper
1 tbsp of fresh oregano, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp of fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tbsp of capers, well rinsed (optional -my addition)
1 tsp of sugar

Method:
In a large bowl beat together the vinegar with the basil, the oregano, the parsley, the garlic, the sugar, the crushed stock cube, salt and pepper and slowly add the oil at a steady flow while beating until all the ingredients are well blended.

Add in the bowl the octopus, the carrot, the courgettes, the peppers and the olives and stir very well.

Cover the bowl with cling film and leave the salad to marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.