Spanish Potato Salad with Tuna (Papas Aliñas)

ADRIAN MORRIS

You can find Andalusian potato-tuna salads like this offered at any café or bar in Jerez, served at most hours of the day and night. Eduardo Ojeda of Equipo Navazos likes to make the dish as the starter course for family meals at home. He uses tuna belly preserved in olive oil, tins of which are sold in Spain as ventresca de atún claro. He also adds a serious quantity of olive oil, never measuring exactly. Just when you think you've added too much oil, he recommends adding a healthy flourish more. Serve with fino, ideally from Macharnudo vineyard.

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What You Will Need

Ingredients

1 medium onion (8 oz.), finely diced (1⅔ cups)
15 medium red or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 5 lb.)
1 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 ¹⁄₂ cups extra-virgin olive oil
¹⁄₄ cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
2 cans (110 g or 3.9 oz.) Spanish or Italian oil-packed tuna, drained

Instructions

Step 1

In a small bowl of cold water, soak the chopped onion; set aside.

Step 2

In a large pot, add the potatoes and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Season with the salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a paring knife, 30–35 minutes, then drain.

Step 3

While still warm, use a clean towel to rub away the potato skins; discard. Cut the potatoes into quarters, and transfer to a large serving bowl. Drain the onion and pat dry. Add to the bowl of potatoes, then add the oil and parsley and toss gently to incorporate. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Top the salad with large pieces of the tuna packed in oil, and serve.

In a small bowl of cold water, soak the chopped onion; set aside.
In a large pot, add the potatoes and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Season with the salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a paring knife, 30–35 minutes, then drain.
While still warm, use a clean towel to rub away the potato skins; discard. Cut the potatoes into quarters, and transfer to a large serving bowl. Drain the onion and pat dry. Add to the bowl of potatoes, then add the oil and parsley and toss gently to incorporate. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Top the salad with large pieces of the tuna packed in oil, and serve.