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The cuisine of Canary Islands combines
traditional Spanish recipes with african and latin-american influences. We find
here an incredible variety of recipes, not at least for the great offer of
nature, with excellent fish, fruits and vegetables.
A very simple and well-known recipe is Papas Arrugadas, potatoes
boilt in salt-water without peeling them and served with Mojo,
a hot sauce of oil, garlic, chili-peppers and paprika. Each chef de cuisine
keeps in secret jalously the detailed recipe of his Mojo. Those
sauces are indispensable components of many other typical dishes as well, for
instance of the famous Mojo Cochino, a ragout of pork.
If you like
fish, you will feel in paradise on those islands. Among the most typical
regional recipes are Caldereta and Sancocho Canario,
salted fish in a Mojo sauce. You will find a wide variety of
international recipes of fish and sea-food, too.
Among vegetarian dishes
Potaje de Berros, a hot-pot of chick-peas, is perhaps best known.
Gofio is a sort of bread, prepared after a very old Guanche
recipe. It is typically served with Morcillas Dulces, "sweet blood
sausage" which is prepared with grapes, raisins and almonds. Several of the
islands have a typical cheese-speciality of their own, best known are the smoked
cheese of La Palma and Flor de Guía of Gran Canaria.
Exotic
fruits are the base of several excellent desserts and sweets. Platanos
Fritos, fried bananas, are in great demand.
Among the islands'
wines you should try the Malvasía from Lanzarote and the red-wines
of Hierro, La Palma and Taraconte in Tenerife. Another of the
islands' alcoholic specialities is Honey-Rum.