If there’s something as exquisite to the palate as it is simple to bring to the table, it’s Canary Island potatoes and the innumerable possibilities offered by their ever-more-lauded varieties. If after a visit to the well-stocked markets of Tenerife the only recipes that occur to you are ones from your own country, read on, because a real papa canaria should be served in a Canary Islands food dish typical of the Fortunate Isles.
As a testament to their supreme quality, the so-called Papas Antiguas Canarias have been distinguished for their birthplace with a Protected Denomination of Origin. There are some 15 different varieties, among which some of the most famous are Colorada de Baga, la Bonita, la Borralla, and la Negra Yema de huevo, also known as the “Canary Islands truffle” for being the most sought-after. Celebrated chefs and restaurateurs use Canary Islands potatoes in their menus’ most elevated dishes, but the truth is that they’re most delicious when prepared in the typical way: the famous papas arrugadas. And that’s where we’ll begin our list of 5 papas canarias recipes.
Papas arrugadas with mojo picón
Ingredients
For the potatoes: 1 kg of small potatoes, 2 fistfuls of salt, 1 slice of lemon, and water.
For the mojo: 1 garlic bulb, 2 picona peppers, 1 teaspoon of whole cumin, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 4 tablespoons of vinegar, 15 tablespoons of olive oil, and coarse-grained salt to taste.
Preparation
Wash the Canary Island potatoes without skinning them, place them in a pot with the salt and the lemon slice, and cook them in sufficiently little water that the potatoes are still somewhat exposed. Once cooked, pour out the rest of the water and return the potatoes to the pot over a flame, shaking the pot continuously until they dry out and the skins begin to wrinkle (about two minutes). Then, remove them from the flame and leave them covered for a few minutes with a cloth.
To make the Canary Islands mojo sauce, grind the peeled and diced garlic in a mortar with the cumin, the seeded peppers, and the coarse-grained salt. Keep grinding as you add the paprika, the oil, and the vinegar until you achieve the final consistency, which you can thin, if you like, with a bit of water. The best thing about mojo is that it can be conserved in the fridge for months and it still maintains the flavour of the first day it was made.
Canary Islands potatoes au gratin
Ingredients
1 kg of potatoes, 2 onions, 3 leeks, 4 eggs, 400 g of grated cheese, 400 g of sour cream, 200 g of salami, 200 g of cooked ham, salt, pepper, parsley, and oregano to taste.
Preparation
Peel the potatoes, cut them in rounds, and cook them. Meanwhile, cut the leek and fry 6 elongated strips with the salami and the diced ham. In another bowl, mix together the eggs with 200 g of cheese and the sour cream, then season it with salt, oregano, and parsley.
Grease a pan with butter and use some of the cooked potatoes to cover the bottom of it. Layer the fried meat mixture on top, along with the 200 g of cheese not yet used. Cover that with half of the egg, cheese, and cream mixture. Then cover that with the rest of the potatoes, after that the other half of the egg mixture, and finally, layer on top the rest of the leek lengths that were not fried.
Bake in the oven at 200ºC for 45 minutes.
Canary Islands potato pancakes
Ingredients
½ kg of potatoes, 1 onion, 3 eggs, 2 tablespoons of flour, salt, and oil.
Preparation
Grate the onion and set it aside. Peel and grate the potatoes, pressing them to extract the largest amount of liquid possible. Then mix them with the egg, the flour, the salt and the onion. Heat the oil in a pan and add in the mixture two tablespoons at a time. Fry both sides of the pancakes until they take on the appropriate consistency and colour.
Ropa vieja
Ingredients
½ kg of chickpeas, ½ kg beef, ½ kg chicken breast, 1 kg potatoes, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 bell pepper, 1 onion, 1 tomato, 1 small cup of white wine, 1 small cup of water or stock, paprika, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, salt, and olive oil.
Preparation
Soak the chickpeas for one day, then wash them and put them in a pot with the meat and salt. Once cooked, drain the pot, shred the meat, and fry everything until crispy.
Separately, sauté the onion, bell pepper, peeled tomato and garlic – all previously diced – and add the pepper and cloves. Then add the paprika, the wine, the thyme, the bay leaf, and the cup of water or stock.
Add the meat and the chickpeas and leave it on the flame for a few minutes. Lastly, fry the cubed potato and mix it all together for a perfect example of Canary Islands cuisine.
Carajacas
Ingredients
1 kg of filleted liver, 1 bulb of garlic, 1 green bell pepper, 2 stalks of parsley, 2 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of powdered cumin, 1 cup of vinegar, olive oil, oregano, and salt to taste.
Preparation
Crush the garlic with the pepper, cumin, parsley, and salt. Then add the oil, vinegar, paprika, and oregano and mix together well. Marinate the liver with this mixture and let it sit for 4 to 5 hours. Then fry the fillets in a pan in their marinade, without adding more oil, and then remove and place them in a clay casserole dish.
Cover the fried liver in the casserole with the leftover marinade and bake it all for a few minutes. Serve the dish with papas arrugadas or parboiled potatoes cooked in oil, wine, stock, and saffron, which serve as a garnish for a multitude of dishes.
Which recipe featuring Tenerife food would you like to try from your exclusive residence? Give in to the multitude of options offered by Canary Island potatoes and experiment with different varieties to hit on the one that best fits your kitchen.
