Atún encebollado: tuna with caramelized onions

This is a dish from Cádiz where the ancient Almadraba red tuna harvest takes place. It's easy to make, but has a rewarding flavor from rich ingredients. I like mine a little saucy, not soupy, juicy, not dry. It's frequently served with bread to sop up any remaining juices.  It may seem like a lot of Onions, but they'll cook down significantly, and it is the name of the dish.

Tasty, if not very photogenic

Some recipes cook the tuna as steaks and top with the onions, but I prefer chunks of tuna that give more opportunity to grab some onions. Most don't marinade nor sear the Tuna, but I think it gives more flavor than cooking it naked in the onions.

Look for red tuna (átun rojo) -- the traditional tuna from the Almadraba -- but yellowtail can be used if that's not available. Don't use the Ventresca cut, it's fat is too luxurious.

Serves 2, measurements are flexible

300 g       Tuna, fresh, cut into steaks
            Olive Oil, extra virgin
            Salt

            Pimenton
500 g       Onion, large, sliced into strips [4-5 whole onions]
  2 cloves  Garlic, sliced thin
  2 whole   Bay Leaf
            Oregano
 50 ml      Sherry
  5 g       Pimenton picante (spicy) or dulce (sweet) [1/2 Tbs]
            Parsley, minced, for garnish

Marinade the Tuna steaks with Salt, a dusting of Pimenton, and a good slather with Oil;  and let them marinade a while longer -- over night is OK.

Sear Tuna hot and fast, very briefly, to develop flavor and texture; you don't want to cook it because you'll finish it later in the onions and don't want it to dry out. Remove, and cut into bite-sized pieces while the onions cook.

Slice the onions into strips and sauté in Olive Oil with the Garlic until very soft and golden brown; this will take half an hour or more. It goes faster if you cover it, but remove the cover if it's too wet. Stir occasionally. Add Pimenton and stir to cook briefly. 

Add the reserved Tuna back to the Onions and stir in gently. Add the Sherry to deglaze and combine. Adjust Salt, Pepper, and Pimenton. Cook just a few minutes until the Tuna is barely cooked through -- do not overcook the Tuna or it will become dry. If the Onion mass is a bit dry and matted, loosen with a bit of Water.

Transfer to a warm serving dish, garnish with Parsley and serve.

This is frequently served with bread to sop up any remaining juices, or roasted potatoes or rice. You could add a fresh salad with tomatoes and roasted bell peppers. 

A dry white wine or Fino Sherry would go well, but it stands up to a full-bodied red wine too.

Needs some parsley