Food in the Canary Islands
Food in the Canary Islands draws from Spanish, Portuguese, African, Latin-American and the indigenous Guanche recipes. Its cuisine is based around the islands' most available produce: fish, sweet corn, maize, wheat, barley, potatoes, shellfish, tropical fruit and a wide variety of vegetables. The Canary Islands, a popular tourist destination, has created its own mix of traditional and international foods that range from haute cuisine restaurants to homemade Guanche recipes. Does this Spark an idea?
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Bananas
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The Canary Islands are famous for their banana plantations, the islands´ most important product after tourism. The variety found in the Canary Islands is the dwarf banana, which was brought in from Asia in the 19th century.
Fruit and Vegetables
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Recently farmers have started to diversify their crop production. You can now find tomatoes; avocados; tropical fruits like mango, papaya, passion fruit and pineapple; and vegetables like potatoes and chaya plants.
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Gofio
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An essential ingredient in the islanders' diet, gofio is a stone-ground flour made from roasted grains of maize, barley and wheat. You will find it in soups, sauces, ice creams and stirred into children's milk as a source of protein, minerals and vitamins. Try gofio at its best in gofio mousse and gofio ice cream.
Mojo
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Mojo is the name given to many sauces, all originating in the Canary Islands. You can find green mojo, red (and spicy) mojo, orange mojo, cheese mojo, almond mojo, and boiled mojo sauce to mention a few. There is no single recipe for mojo; every chef and family has its own, although they are all based on the basic mojo ingredients: garlic, salt, oil, vinegar, lemon, fresh coriander (for the green mojo), paprika and chili pepper (for the spicy red mojo). The most popular varieties are mojo verde (green mojo) and mojo picón (spicy red mojo), both of which are excellent with one of the Canary Islands' most representative dishes, wrinkled potatoes.
Wrinkled Potatoes
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Papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatotes) are made of potatoes boiled in water so salty they float. The idea is to boil away the water and form a dry salt crust on the potatoes' skin. Enjoy them as a side dish with generous servings of mojo picón.
Almogrote
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Another indigenous recipe is the almogrote, found mostly on La Gomera island. It is a delicious paste made from cheese, garlic and pepper, and eaten as a spread with bread.
Tapas
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A great Spanish invention, tapas, small portions of food enjoyed with a beer or a glass of wine, are a great way of getting to know the Canary Islands' cuisine. Find a comfortable bar or restaurant with a view and enjoy trying small portions of "Calderata," a spicy meat dish; "Sancocho," a treat for fish lovers and vegetarians; or "Potaje de Berros," a delicious watercress and chickpeas soup.
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References
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- Photo Credit cooking image by Daria Miroshnikova from Fotolia.com
