Mojo verde o de cilantro - Green mojo sauce
Add a pinch of salt to the mortar together with a bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped and some cloves of garlic, and a pinch of cumin. Crush well and then add a little sliced hot green pepper and continue to work with the pestle and mortar. When a paste is obtained, add a generous dash of oil and a little less vinegar. Some add a little white wine. This is optional.
Mojo colorado y picón - Hot red mojo sauce
Crush half a dozen cloves of garlic in the indispensable mortar together with half a teaspoonful of cumin and a pinch of coarse salt. When bound well, add half a hot red pepper and continue to crush. Add paprika and finish by marinating in oil and vinegar, at a proportion of three to one approximately until the desired consistency is obtained. Before adding the oil, you can add some breadcrumbs soaked in vinegar for a while. Again, it is all a matter of personal preference. Mojo picón palmero, the most famous on the Islands, is made more or less in the same way, but using peppers from La Palmera, which are larger than those in the rest of the Archipelago. Before making the sauce, soak these in warm water to soften so it is easier to crush them in the mortar.
Papas arrugadas - Jacket potatoe
Cover the unpeeled potatoes with water (seawater preferably) and add, for each kilo of the tubers, a little over a quarter kilo of salt – it does not matter if you use too much, as they will only absorb the salt required. Put the pot on the stove and cover well with a clean cloth or baking paper. Then cover with the lid. Leave the potatoes to cook for between twenty minutes and half an hour, until they are tender. Then, remove the water and drain well. Without removing from the pot, pour another good pinch or fistful of salt over the potatoes and dry over the heat shaking the pot and tossing the potatoes for a little while or ratito as we say on the islands.
Escaddón – Scalded gofio – Gofio
Another very characteristic element of Canarian cuisine is scalded gofio (escaldón de gofio or gofio escaldado), which is used to accompany certain dishes, always broth like, such as cazuelas de pescado and pucheros. Escaldar or scald the gofio by simply pouring hot broth on top to make an appetising paste that goes well with the main dish. However, we recommend the following procedure for meat or fish escaldón de pescado, to obtain an exquisite result that is a pleasant surprise for unsuspecting palates. Place the gofio to be scalded in an hondilla and hollow to form what looks like a crater. Fry a few slices of garlic in a pan with a little oil and when golden add a slice of hot pepper. Then, remove the pot from the heat and add a little paprika. Pour this light fritanga over the gofio followed by the very hot broth. Stir until the desired texture is obtained: thinner if it is for puchero; thicker if it is for a fish stew.
