To begin, place the octopus in a large pot with bay leaves, halved onion, garlic cloves, and olive oil. Add enough water to just cover the octopus. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 40–50 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife. Move to preparing the broth.

Remove the octopus and set aside to cool slightly. Strain the cooking liquid, reserving it for the rice. This broth will be the base of the dish, holding the flavour of the sea. Transition to preparing the sauce base.

In a wide, heavy based pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Proceed to adding tomatoes.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they break down into a thick sauce, about 5–7 minutes. Stir in sweet paprika for depth of flavour. Transition to deglazing the pan.

Pour in the white wine and scrape up any caramelised bits from the pan. Let it reduce by half to concentrate the flavours. Move to preparing the octopus.

Cut the cooked octopus into bite sized pieces. Reserve tentacle sections for visual appeal in plating. Transition to cooking the rice.

Stir the rice into the tomato mixture to coat each grain. Pour in about 750 ml of the reserved octopus broth, seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir occasionally, adding more broth as needed to maintain a moist, slightly soupy consistency. Cook for 15–18 minutes until the rice is nearly done.

Fold in the sliced octopus, reserving decorative tentacles. Simmer for 5 more minutes to allow flavours to meld. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Ladle the octopus rice into bowls or a wide serving dish. Garnish with fresh coriander or parsley. Presentation tip: Arrange reserved tentacles on top for a traditional touch and serve immediately while warm.