Marinated baby octopus, and more flowers

There is a conspiracy: they are trying to make me a vegetarian. Marinated octopus and eggs are vegetarian, right? With all these heirloom tomatoes, tender salad greens, local avocados coming from the market, and fava beans and eadible flowers going crazy in my garden after the rains, every time I make myself something to eat it's a salad.

"Baby" octopi come frozen from the Chinese grocery store. They are not really babies, they are just small octopi, correct? If they are, I'm in trouble - R. doesn't eat any baby animals. Not even veal. It took me a while to convince him that Cornish hens and quails are grown up birds.

Anyway, I defrost the "babies", cook them in a large pot at a slow simmer until tender, about an hour, then marinate them with rosemary, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper in 1 part sherry vinegar and 2 parts olive oil.

Serve over a salad of baby romaine (he's fine with baby plants), avocado, heirloom tomatoes, and fava beans. Garnish with a soft-boiled egg and nasturtium petals.
The marinade doubles as a dressing.

Vegetarian delight.