Today, I will show you a simple Spanish recipe with which you can prepare delicious wrinkled potatoes with Canarian mojo picón sauce. Or as it is known in Spanish: “Papas Arrugadas con Mojo Picón Canario” ( and Olé!!).
A Little Bit of History
Wrinkled Potatoes (Papas Arrugadas) are a typical culinary recipe in the Canary Islands, Spain. A beautiful and exotic archipelago of 8 islands, with Tenerife being the largest one. It is strategically located in the Atlantic Ocean, very close to the coast of Africa. This explains why it has a warm and temperate climate all year round! Yes, while all of Europe is under the scourge of a harsh and freezing winter. The Spanish residents of the Canary Islands are sunbathing and taking a dip in any of its paradisiacal beaches.
It’s a place I have personally visited after college, and I can confirm that the food is fantastic and the islands are worth visiting. And so, between work, the sun, and the beach, seven years of my life passed almost without realizing it. I made great friends and long-lasting memories. Among them is the one that is summoned today, the Original Recipe that a Canarian friend (what locals are called) inherited from her mother and grandmother, and so back to 1600 (seventeenth century). When the first conquerors arrived on its coasts, bringing this precious tuber: “Potatoes” (Papas), which, by the way, only the Spanish Canary Islanders call them that way. All over the rest of Spain (the peninsula), it is called “Patata.” You can easily leave the work stress behind here.
But well, after this historical-nostalgic lapse, let’s get right into this simple but delicious Recipe of Wrinkled Potatoes Canarias with Red Mojo Picón Sauce.
Key Ingredients for Canary Island Wrinkled Potatoes (Papas Arrugadas Canarias)
- Small potatoes (preferably thin-skinned potatoes): 2.2 lbs (1 kg)
- Coarse salt: 3-4 tablespoons.
Preparation Instructions for Spanish Wrinkled Potatoes Canarian Mojo Sauce Recipe
- Preparing the Wrinkled Potatoes:
- Wash the potatoes thoroughly without peeling to remove any dirt.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water.
- Add the coarse salt to the water.
- Boil the potatoes over high heat until tender and easily pierced with a fork (approximately 20-30 minutes).
- Drain the potatoes and leave them in the pot covered to dry and wrinkle.
Key Ingredients for the Spanish Wrinkled Potatoes Canarian Mojo Sauce Recipe
- Red bell peppers: 2 units
- Garlic cloves: 4 units
- Ground cumin: 1 teaspoon
- Sweet paprika: 1 teaspoon
- Red wine vinegar: 2 tablespoons
- Extra virgin olive oil: 4 tablespoons
- Salt: to taste
- Water: 2 tablespoons.
Original Recipe of Spanish Wrinkled Potatoes with Canarian Mojo Sauce
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs (1 kg) Small potatoes (preferably thin-skinned potatoes)
- 3-4 tbsp Coarse salt
For the Canarian Mojo Sauce
- 2 Red bell peppers
- 4 Garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp Ground cumin
- 1 tbsp Sweet paprika
- 2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Water (optional, to adjust consistency)
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes thoroughly without peeling to remove any dirt.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water.
- Add the coarse salt to the water.
- Boil the potatoes over high heat until tender and easily pierced with a fork (approximately 20-30 minutes).
- Drain the potatoes and leave them in the pot covered to dry and wrinkle.
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the Mojo sauce.
- In a skillet, lightly toast the unpeeled garlic cloves and red bell peppers until slightly golden and fragrant.
- Peel the garlic cloves and remove the seeds from the red bell peppers.
- In a mortar and pestle or blender, mash the garlic cloves, red bell peppers, ground cumin, sweet paprika, and salt into a smooth paste.
- Add the red wine vinegar and mix well.
- Slowly incorporate the extra virgin olive oil while continuing to mix until you get a thick and homogeneous sauce. If desired, you can add a little water to adjust the consistency.
- Serve the hot wrinkled potatoes accompanied by the mojo sauce. Enjoy this delicious Canarian recipe!
