Six O’Clock Solution: Author preaches the gospel of the perfect potato salad

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The best potato salad is made with mature potatoes boiled in their skins and then peeled. The dressing should be added while the potatoes are still warm.

That’s the gospel from Maria José Sevilla, the author of a new Spanish cookbook, Cocina de Andalucia (Ryland Peters & Small/Firefly, $42). She includes tuna in her recipe for what she calls a summer potato salad.

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She likes to serve it with other salads, such as sliced tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkling of fresh, chopped oregano. Include good bread for mopping up the juices, she directs. Maria, born in Madrid, lives in both London and near Seville and is known as a TV cook and writer.

Photographs by Nassima Rothacker, who comes from Australia, take the reader traveling about southern Spain savouring beautiful food.

Potato salad (Alinás)

Serves 4

1 pound (500 g) potatoes, unpeeled

1 can (85 g/1 cup) tuna in olive oil, drained (optional)

5 tablespoons (75 mL) extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons (45 mL) white wine vinegar

½ red onion, chopped

Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Sea salt

Boil potatoes in their skins in a large pan of salted water.

While potatoes are cooking, make dressing in a small bowl.

Combine oil with vinegar, onions, parsley and salt to taste.

When potatoes are tender, drain, let cool slightly, then peel off skins.

While potatoes are still warm, chop into small pieces and combine with the drained tuna, if using.

Season to taste with salt, then pour the dressing over the potato mixture and serve.

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