In the Canary Islands potatoes are called “papas,” as in Andalusia and South America. In fact, the word papa is a linguistic term from Quechua (native language of the Andes), papa.
The potato is one of the basic food products in the Canary Islands, appreciated both for its nutritional values and for being one of the widest-spread local crop.
Today, we will prepare Papas Arrugás, one of the internationally most famous dishes of the Canary Islands, used as an accompaniment to meats and fish, or simply as a “tapa”:
1 kg. potatoes (it’s very important that they are small potatoes)
2 handfuls of coarse sea salt (they used to be cooked in sea water)
Wash the potatoes very well (without removing the skin) and put them in a pot with salt, covered with water but without exceeding their level. Cover with a damp cloth (a native has taught me this trick) and put on fire. Cooking time depends on the size of potatoes, usually they should run out of water and be well wrinkled and covered with salt.
And what better to accompany it than the typical Canarian Mojo Picón. Recipe for Mojo Rojo (Red Mojo):
Ingredients: 1 head of garlic, 2 spicy peppers, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 4 tablespoons of vinegar, 15 tablespoons of olive oil and coarse salt for the flavor.
Preparation: In a mortar, mash the peeled and chopped garlic, cumin, grit-free peppers and salt until they form a soft dough (if you don’t want to tire your arm, use a mixer). Slowly add the paprika, oil and vinegar, stirring constantly, obtaining as a result a thick paste. This paste can be lightened to your taste with a cup of water.
You can prepare a milder Mojo Rojo if you use sweet peppers instead of spicy peppers. You can also make a Mojo Verde (Green Mojo), replacing peppers and paprika with 1 sprig of cilantro and / or parsley (or even avocado to make it more creamy).
This mojo sauce can be stored for months in the refrigerator. Mojo is a sauce that marries perfectly with meats and fish.
If you want to taste the real Papas Arrugadas, at La Hacienda del Hotel BlueBay Beach Club in Gran Canaria, we prepare this and other local specialties. And in the show cooking kitchen of the snack bar by the pool at Hotel BlueBay Lanzarote, you can learn how to prepare the potatoes with mojo.
