Serves: 4 | Time: 40 min
A simple Spanish tapa served in cazuelas at tapas bars throughout Spain. The tuna is braised in a sweet, slow-cooked onion sauce seasoned with smoked paprika, sherry, and vinegar. A spoonful of salsa verde on top is not traditional but adds a bright, herby contrast.
Serve with buttered potatoes or country bread to mop up the sauce.
Ingredients
Tuna and Onions:
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 Tbsp
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp dried oregano, or to taste
- 1 tsp Spanish smoked paprika, or to taste
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup (120 ml) sherry or dry white wine
- 1 cup (240 ml) fish or vegetable stock, more if needed
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 lb (500 g) fresh tuna, cut into 2-inch pieces
Salsa Verde:
- 1 cup (28 g) flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 6 green olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
- 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed, drained, and finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp capers, rinsed, dried, and chopped
- ¼ cup (16 g) scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- Zest and juice of 1 dewaxed organic lemon, or more to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Season the tuna. Add tuna, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Coat the tuna well with the oil mixture and refrigerate.
Make the salsa verde. Pour ½ cup (120 ml) olive oil into a small bowl. Add chopped parsley, garlic, olives (if using), anchovies, capers, scallions, lemon juice and zest, and red pepper flakes. Stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with more olive oil. Set aside and let the flavors mingle while you prepare the rest of the dish.
Braise the onions. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, and smoked paprika. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to turn golden. Add the sherry or white wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the stock and continue cooking, stirring occasionally. Do not let the onions get too brown — reduce the heat if needed. Total cooking time should be around 25 minutes; onions should be soft. Add the white vinegar and cook 1 minute longer. Adjust seasoning. If the sauce seems too dense or there is not enough liquid to braise the tuna, add a bit more stock. Keep at a low simmer.
Sear the tuna. Heat a separate skillet over high heat. Add the oiled tuna pieces and sear for 1 minute on each side. The tuna should be undercooked at this point.
Finish and serve. Transfer the tuna immediately to the onion pan. Arrange the pieces in a single layer and spoon some of the onions and sauce over the fish. For well-done tuna, cook over low heat for 3 minutes longer. For medium-rare, serve immediately. Add a spoonful of salsa verde on top before serving.
