The so-called wrinkled potatoes papas arrugadas con mojo are quintessentially Canarian, delicious and extremely easy to prepare. All you need are potatoes, which are cooked with lots of sea salt and then traditionally served with two different salsas:the green mojo sauce with parsley and the hot, red chili variety.
Papas arrugadas con mojo from Lanzarote
(for 4 persons)
Ingredients papas arrugadas
1 kg small, waxy potatoes
100 to 150 g coarse sea salt
Preparation
Wash the potatoes thoroughly and put them in a pan along with the skin. Add enough water to cover them. Salt and cook until the water has completely evaporated. Then cook in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes until the skin is wrinkled. Shake the jar gently – this movement creates the typical salt crust of papas arrugadas.
Ingredients mojo verde (green salsa)
3 cloves of garlic
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch cilantro or a small avocado
¼ cup water
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup good white wine
1 dash of wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation Place garlic, washed parsley, washed coriander (or peeled avocado) and water, olive oil, white wine and wine vinegar in a blender and puree, season with salt and pepper. If the mojo needs to get thicker or thinner, add some olive oil or white wine.
Ingredients mojo rojo (red salsa)
2 dried red peppers
3 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon hot paprika
½ teaspoon ground caraway seeds
100 ml white wine vinegar
200 ml olive oil
Preparation
Pour the hot water over the chillies and let them soak for an hour. Then cut them into small pieces. Also cut the garlic cloves and bell pepper into pieces. Place the chopped ingredients together with the spices and vinegar in a bowl and use a mixer to make a creamy mass. Add olive oil and continue mixing until a smooth sauce is obtained. Season to taste and add spices if necessary.
There are countless recipe variations for the two salsas, almost every Canarian family prepares them a little differently depending on their taste and preference.
Photo credit:Turismo Lanzarote
