• Thaw the octopus in the refrigerator for a day or two. 
• Wash the octopus thoroughly under running water, paying particular attention to the suckers on the tentacles.
• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Place the octopus in the pot, cover it and return the water to a boil.
• Boil the octopus for 8 minutes.
• Take the octopus from the boiling water onto a cutting board and chop off its head. Discard the head for this recipe.
• Line a Dutch oven or similar pot with a nest of your choice of Spanish herbs and spices. Possibilities include a combination of oregano, rosemary, garlic, bay leaves, laurel, saffron, sage, tarragon, thyme, basil, or parsley. The octopus meat absorbs the flavors of the herbs and spices.
• Nestle the octopus legs into the nest of herbs. Cover and cook for three to four hours at 200 F until tender. 
• Cut the octopus into chunks and keep warm.

Preparation of the Paprika Sauce

• Meanwhile, put the salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic in a mortar and pound it until it is a paste. Slowly add the olive oil, stirring and mashing all the while. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you could use a food processor, but the texture will be different.
• While the octopus is still warm, put it into a large bowl and toss with the paprika-garlic sauce. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into the bowl and toss to combine.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with slices of lemon.