Canarian cuisine refers to the typical dishes and ingredients in the cuisine of the Canary Islands, and it constitutes an important element in the culture of its inhabitants. Its main features are its freshness, variety, simplicity, and the richness of its ingredients, the mix of seafood and meat dishes, its cultural influences and the low knowledge of it by the rest of the world. Canarian cuisine is influenced by other cultures, specially the aboriginal inhabitants of the islands and Latin American cuisine. Some African influences still prevail as well.
Sauces and appetizers
Many small dishes are presented in the Canary Islands as appetizers, or snacks, which are known locally as enyesques. Mojo is a sauce served with many dishes, which is made mainly of oil, garlic, vinegar, salt, red pepper, thyme, cumin, coriander and several other spices. The two main kinds of mojo are rojo and verde, though both can be served with potatoes. Spicy red mojo is called mojo picón. This recipe is the base of the mojos of Latin America, especially Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela, due to heavy Canarian emigration, and have also influenced the cuisines of the non-Hispanic Caribbean islands. Papas arrugadas are small unskinned potatoes which have been boiled in salt water and served with mojo. One very typical Canarian product is gofio, a flour created by grinding roasted sweetcorn, which used to be the staple food for the local population for centuries. Gofio is produced locally and is added to many foods. For instance, it can be mixed with warm milk to be drank in the morning, as well as made into a dough-like food called pella that can be eaten alongside meals. Gofio can also be stirred with fish broth and onions to create a dish called gofio escaldado or escaldón de gofio. Local varieties of cheese are popular and numerous, specially goat cheese. Both cheese from La Palma and Fuerteventura are protected by the Denominación de Origen label. Other notable cheeses are the Flor de Guía cheese and the queso tierno. Hard cheese is made into a paste called Almogrote in La Gomera island. Grilled cheese with mojo is sometimes served as a starter.
First courses
Traditional Canarian meals usually start with soup, in order to prepare the stomach for the meal. Among the best-known soups are:
Potajes are chunky vegetable soups with potatoes, and they are one of the main ways Canarian people consume vegetables. Their ingredients can vary largely, depending on the island. One of the most popular is the potage de berros. They can be machine-blended into purees, more suitable for children.
Caldo de papas is a humble soup made mainly of potatoes and coriander.
Caldo de pescado usually features popular fish of the islands, like the mero, sama and cherne.
Rancho canario is a soup with chickpeas, lard, thick noodles, potatoes and meat.
Fish
Waters around the Canary Islands are rich with a great variety of autochthonous fish. These can be prepared in many ways, including oven-roasted, fried, and marinated in various sauces. Some preparations include:
Sancocho canario, boiled fish with potatoes, sweet potatoes, gofio and mojo. In Tenerife, it is served in a pot.
Pescado seco, which can include tollos and jareas.
Puchero canario is a meat-rich soup which is the Canarian equivalent to Spanish cocidos. Chicken, beef and pork meat are combined with chick peas, corn cobs, sweet potatoes, potatoes and other vegetables.
Goat meat has been eaten in the islands since pre-Spanish times.
Ropa vieja is a dish consisting of chicken and beef mixed with potatoes and garbanzos. Canarian ropa vieja is the father of Cubanropa vieja through Canarian emigration.
Pork is the main ingredient of dishes such as carne fiesta and costillas con piña.
Sweets and desserts
Canarian desserts often use simple ingredients, such as cane sugar, honey, matalahuga or matalauva, almonds and traditional miel de palma. Among the desserts are bienmesabe, which is a paste of almonds, honey and sugar often served with ice cream or cream and cat's tongue cookies. Frangollo is a mix of corn flour, sugar, almonds and raisins, while truchas are pastries that are prepared at Christmastime. In El Hierro there is a cake named quesadilla which is made with cheese. Other specialities include rosquetes, quesillo, rapaduras, Príncipe Alberto and leche asada. Gofio is also employed in some desserts such as huevos mole, pella de gofio and mousse de gofio. Tropical fruits, especially bananas, are widely grown and consumed in the islands, even if they are not native species.
Licor 43 is not made on the Canary Islands, but is an ingredient commonly used to make the barraquito/zaperoco, a multilayered drink made of Licor 43, coffee, condensed milk and frothed milk.
