Bruschettas topped with octopus marinated in herbs, olive oil, and finely chopped tomatoes

1 kg octopus
1 bay leaf
300 ml olive oil
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
3 tbsp fresh thyme finely chopped
3 tbsp fresh oregano finely chopped
1 bunch chives finely chopped
150 ml orange & lemon white balsamic cream
50 ml white balsamic vinegar
6 vine-ripe tomatoes
8 thin slices country-style (sourdough) bread
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven grill. Place the country bread slices in a small, nonstick baking tin. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Grill for 2-3 min.
Place the octopus in a pot with 1 glass of water and the 2 bay leaves over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.
Cook for 1-1½ hours. Drain and let cool. Slice the octopus thinly. Overlap slices in one layer in a deep baking tin. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white balsamic cream, and white balsamic vinegar. Add garlic, thyme, oregano, and chives. Pour over the octopus.
Cover and refrigerate octopus. Marinate for at least 2-3 hours. On a cutting board, cut tomatoes into quarters. Remove pulp and chop tomato rinds into small squares. Serve octopus on the bruschettas topped with the finely chopped tomatoes.