The
food of the Canary Islands is quite different to that in the rest of
Spain. When we say food of the Canary Islands we aren't
talking about the majority of the food served in the tourist resorts
which tends to be similar to that served in resorts all over Spain.
Authentic Canarian cooking can be found in some resort restaurants
but generally you are more likely to find it in the smaller towns
and villages. Some of the typical dishes include Papas
Arrugadas, these are new potatoes cooked in saltwater until
they become wrinkled, this is a favourite in Canary Island cuisine.
Sanocho is a fish stew which is often served with boiled potatoes
and sweet potatoes and sometimes sweetcorn. It uses a firm
fleshed fish like sea bass.
Salsa Mojo is a sauce which comes in red and green varieties, it
accompanies many dishes including meat, poultry and fish. Mojo
verde, the green variety is made from crushed garlic blended with
coriander and vinegar. Salad as a first course is popular in
Canarian cuisine, the salads can contain avocado, bananas,
corriander with the normal salad ingredients. A popular cheese
in the Canaries is Almogrote, a hard cheese similar in texture to
parmesan which is usually served with bread. Gofio is a grain
which was originally eaten by the Guanches the original inhabitants
of the Canary Islands and is still used today in Canarian cuisine.
Rabbit and Goat are favourites in Canarian cuisine usually served
with Mojo sauce.
Salmorejo is a popular sauce made in many areas
of Spain. The Canary Island variety is often served with rabbit
(Conejo) and accompanied by papas arrugadas.
The video below shows how to make the Canarian dish of Patatas
Arrugadas Con Mojo Picon or potatoes in a hot mojo sauce.
