Papas Aliñás Gaditanas

Papas aliñás are from Cádiz, Andaluz and coastal, and the name tells you the work: potatoes dressed, not buried. Good waxy potatoes, sweet onion, parsley, olive oil, vinagre de Jerez, and salt. Tuna and egg are welcome, but they don't get to take over. This is a potato salad with a clean aliño, a dressing, not a mayonnaise bowl in disguise.

The method that decides it is the dressing while the potatoes are still warm. Boil them whole in their skins, peel them as soon as your hands can bear it, slice them thick, and dress them then. Warm potato drinks oil and vinegar. Cold potato just wears them on the outside and sulks. That is the difference between papas aliñás and a dull bowl of boiled potatoes.

If you are far from Cádiz, no hace falta haber pisado España. Use a firm waxy potato, a mild white onion or spring onion, good extra virgin olive oil, and sherry vinegar if you can find it. If not, a mild white wine vinegar works, but it will be sharper and less round, so start with less. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.