This week’s recipe takes us to the sunny Canary Islands, where the tapas tradition is a delicious union of Spanish mainland and South American cuisine.
With the discovery of the Americas in the 15th century, the Canary Islands became an important stopping off point for ships sailing between the Old and New Worlds. New and unusual products found their way to the islands en route to Spain, among them, potatoes, peppers and chillies.
Iconic Canarian dishes such as papas arrugadas con mojo (wrinkly potatoes with mojo sauce), montadito de queso asado con mojo, (roasted cheese toasts with mojo sauce) and burgados (sea snails) have put the islands on the culinary map.
Their famous mojo sauces are heavily influenced by South American flavours and even the word “papa” is of South American origin, compared with the Spanish word “patata”.
Today, the 46 varieties of potatoes that are unique to the islands give this dish its unmistakable flavour, but even if you have to substitute native potatoes for baby potatoes, it is still worth trying out this delicious recipe.
For this recipe, it’s important to find small potatoes, such as baby potatoes and to keep the skin on. Do not peel them, as the salt gives them their distinctive wrinkle. Wash them well and place them in a large pot so they lay flat on the bottom.
For every kilo of baby potatoes, add about 5 tbsp of rock sea salt.
Add water to halfway up the sides of the potatoes and boil for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure they are evenly cooked. Test with a fork, knife, or toothpick.
If the water gets too low, you can add a little more, but not too much as to dilute the saltiness.
Once, cooked, drain off the excess water and roll the potatoes around in the salt residue left behind in the pot. This is when the potatoes achieve their wrinkly look.
Serve hot with red or green mojo sauce.
The most common mojo sauces that accompany the papas are the red spicy mojo and the green herby mojo. If you can handle the heat, add extra chilli, and to spice up the green mojo, green chilli or cayenne pepper is an optional add.
Traditionally, the sauces were made with the muscle action of a mortar and pestle, and many people still prefer to make them this way. Grinding the ingredients tends to give them a better texture and bring out the flavours, especially in the garlic and herbs. But if the patience or tool is missing, feel free to bung it all in the blender.
Mojo Rojo – Spicy Red Sauce
4 garlic cloves
2 slices dried bread
2 red peppers, roasted (these can be bought in jars if you’re not roasting your own.)
150ml olive oil
25ml white vinegar
tsp salt
tsp cumin
one small red chilli (seeds removed…with gloves)
1 tsp sweet paprika
Mojo Verde – Green Sauce
4 cloves garlic
One bunch of fresh coriander (or parsley if preferred)
50ml vinegar
100ml olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
Green chilli or cayenne pepper (optional if you desire it slightly hotter)