Canarian cuisine: Dishes you simply should not miss

If there is one thing that brings people together and makes everyone happy, it’s food. The connecting thread of a whole country. Especially ours, where we have some of the highest quality raw materials to prepare the tastiest and most delicious dishes from all over the continent. That is, from our point of view, at least. We want to share with you here 7 of our favourite traditional dishes of Gran Canaria, an island that is simply irresistible! Bon appétit!  

Typical Starters and appetizers of Gran Canaria

Given the variety of dishes of our region, we are going to present our culinary choices as a full menu, from appetizers to dessert.   

And of course, our menu must start with some papas arrugadas con mojo. These small salted boiled potatoes with mojo sauce are possibly the most popular Canarian dish and, why not say it, one of the tastiest as well. The dish itself is no mystery: it is made by boiling potatoes in their skins with salt and a piece of lemon. The trick is to lightly fry them in a pan afterwards to dry them out, and then take them out, wrapping them in a cloth. 

Mojo, the Canarian sauce par excellence, is typically associated with papas arrugas, but it is actually a staple of Canarian cuisine that works very well with many other dishes. How is it made? Well, in this case, to make mojo rojo (red mojo sauce), first you need red pepper, olive oil, garlic, aged red wine vinegar, cumin and salt for the base. Now, the only thing left is to add hot pepper and our sauce is ready. If you prefer mojo verde (green mojo sauce), then your will need oil, coriander, vinegar, parsley, garlic and salt for the base.  

Another appetizer we suggest is the so-called “ropa vieja”, which literally translates as “old clothes”. Perhaps you’ve heard about it in a strange context but you just didn’t know it was a dish. But that is indeed the case. Although this dish did not originate on the island, it has become really popular.  

This make-do kind of dish is made by adding chickpeas, chopped fried potatoes and some spices, such as thyme, cloves, red pepper, bay leaves, garlic and onion to stew leftovers. Once you have added all the ingredients, you just need to fry them and the dish is ready. To turn it into a main dish, some people add some fried meat, either beef or chicken. 

Main courses of Gran Canaria

We are going to start with one of the most popular dishes on the island, gofio escaldado, which some people consider to be more of a snack or even a side dish, than a main dish. It is made by dissolving gofio de millo (a type of corn flour), and parsley in fish stock. The dish is ready when you get a smooth texture without lumps.  

Next on our list is one of the most typical dishes of Gran Canaria: watercress stew. This wonderful dish is made with white beans, meat, vegetables, corncob, bay leaves, potatoes and, of course, watercress. First, you start by browning the meat, then you cover the meat with vegetables and wait, time will work its magic. The final result will certainly surprise you!  

Finally, we must not forget the importance of fish on the island, so we suggest grilled limpets with mojo sauce. Its preparation does not need much explanation, so in these lines we will simply give you some advice on where to try the best fish: always in villages and/or in fishermen's guilds, such as Puerto de Mogan.   

Traditional Desserts from Gran Canaria

It’s time for a sweet treat. In this category, we suggest two options that will not leave you indifferent. The first one is ice cream with bienmesabe, a traditional dessert from the Canary Islands made with almonds. And the second one is, of course, “truchas de batata”or cabello de angel, a kind of puff pastry filled with a mixture of stewed sweet potato, almonds, lemon zest, sugar and cinnamon. After frying them, we add sprinkle icing sugar on top and we have the perfect ending to a great meal. 

If you are thinking of spending your holidays in Gran Canaria and you are not familiar with its cuisine yet, be sure to try all of these dishes in Seaside Palm Beach. You will repeat. That is to say, you will want to return to the island and enjoy these Canarian delicacies again.