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Tuna Salad (Quick and Healthy)

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10-minute Mediterranean tuna salad without mayo! The tuna salad itself uses just the five ingredients (tuna, tomato, onion, boiled egg and lettuce) plus a quick light dressing.

Ingredients (serves 1–2)

  • 1 can of natural tuna (drained)
  • 1 large tomato or cherry tomatoes
  • ½ onion (optional)
  • 1 boiled egg (optional)
  • Green leaves (lettuce, spinach, or rocket)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Lemon or vinegar
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Wash and chop the tomato and onion.
  2. Place the green leaves in a bowl.
  3. Add the flaked tuna and diced egg.
  4. Dress with oil, lemon/vinegar, salt, and pepper.
  5. Toss and serve.

Burrata Salad

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Canarian Recipes: Ensalada de Burrata

Burrata is a fresh, stretched – curd cheese made from cow’s milk. It has a round shape and an exterior similar to a pouch-like mozzarella with a characteristic apical closure. Inside, the texture is much softer and more stringy, similar to that of cream cheese.

Ingredients

  • Burrata Cheese or other fresh cheeses
  • Arugula
  • Lamb’s Lettuce
  • Cherry Tomatoes
    Avocado
  • Mango
  • Walnuts,
  • Pistachios
  • Raisins
  • Olive Oil
  • Honey

Mozzarella vs. Burrata: What’s the Difference?
Fresh mozzarella cheese is made from cow or water buffalo milk. It has a firm but elastic texture and can be sliced without losing its shape. Burrata cheese is mozzarella that’s formed into a thin pouch and then filled with a mixture of soft, stringy curd and cream called stracciatella.

What is the goat cheese in the Canary Islands?
Queso Palmero: This characteristic smoky cheese is made with raw milk from local goats, similar to mozzarella.
It’s available fresh, soft, semi-cured and cured.

Burrata cheese from Quesería Mansueto, a family business, dedicated to the production of cheeses and artisanal products, originally from Italy, with ingredients 100% made in the Canary Islands.
https://mansuetoqueseria.com

Beef with Peas Over Carrot-Potato Mash

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Savory ground beef is paired with peas atop a warm blanket of carrot and mashed potatoes in this variation on Irish Cottage Pie.

Ingredients

  • 500g ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, rough diced
  • 3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 150g peas
  • 1 cloves garlic, optional
  • 1-2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 100-250ml ml beef broth eg oxo
  • 2 tablespoons oil (or butter)
  • salt, pepper, herbs to taste
  • 2 tsp cornflour in water, as needed

Instructions

  1. Put the potatoes and carrots to cook in one pan of slightly salted water.
  2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add the meat and seasoning, breaking it apart as it cooks.
  3. Add the onions, peas, garlic and cook until near tender, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the tomato paste and the broth and simmer to reduce until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
  5. If serving with gravy, (more beef stock) thicken at this stage.
  6. Drain and mash the carrots and potatoes, adding a little butter if required.
  7. Serve the meat using a slotted spoon over the mashed carrots and potatoes.
  8. Serve gravy separately, optional.

 

Roscón de Reyes: Three Kings’ Cake

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Canarian Recipes: Rosconttone

  

The Roscón de Reyes is one of the most eagerly awaited desserts of the year. As its name suggests, it is typical for the Epiphany on January 6th.

Many families gather on this day to share this sweet treat, adhering to tradition; whoever finds the fève (a hidden figurine) is expected to treat others.

  • 650 g strong flour
  • 250 ml whole milk
  • 25 g fresh yeast
  • 120 g white sugar
  • 120 g butter
  • 2 eggs and the yolk of another
  • 10 g salt
  • 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
  • The zest of 2 lemons
  • The zest of one orange

Ingredients to decorate the Roscón de Reyes:

  • An orange
  • Glazed fruits
  • 1 beaten egg
  • Pearl sugar
  • Flaked almonds

Your favourite ingredient for the filling:

  • cream
  • truffle
  • confectioner’s custard
  • angel hair (pumpkin jam)
  • sweet potato
  • chocolate.. figurine of the King
  • fava bean

Step by step method for making the Roscón de Reyes:

  • Heat the milk until it is lukewarm.
  • Mix 250ml of milk with 3 tablespoons of flour and shredded yeast.
  • ix it thoroughly until the yeast is fully dissolved.
  • Put the mixture to one side and leave it to ferment for 20 minutes (the warmer the ambient temperature, the quicker it will ferment).
  • In another bowl, add the rest of the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt and zest. Finally, add the milk, eggs, already fermented mixture, orange blossom water and melted butter. Mix until everything is well incorporated.
  • Flour a smooth surface and knead for a few minutes (from the outside inwards). Shape the dough into a ball and leave it to one side in a bowl covered with a cloth for a few hours or until it doubles in size (the warmer the ambient temperature, the quicker it will grow).
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, flour the same surface and knead it again. Shape your Three Kings’ cake (bear in mind that the dough will grow and the hole in the middle will become smaller).
  • Leave the dough to rest for an hour covered with clingfilm. Meanwhile, you can preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  • Brush your cake with the beaten egg and decorated it to taste.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until you see it has turned a golden colour.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool for a few hours before cutting it in half to add your favourite filling and, of course, the bean.
  • Serve it with your favourite nougats and chocolates and enjoy!

Classic Fillings and Surprising Flavours
In addition to the classic roscón (without filling),there are various flavours of Rosconttones to cater to all tastes.
Their offerings include:

  • Nutella
  • Pistachio
  • Kinder
  • Pastry Cream

Pork Loin with BBQ and Orange Sauce

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Canarian Recipes: Lomo de Cerdo con Salsa Barbacoa y Naranja

Pork loin in barbecue and orange sauce is characterized by being sweet and sour, juicy and caramelized in a reduction of natural orange juice, BBQ sauce, honey and garlic, achieving tender meat and an intense flavor.

Ingredients

  • 500-750 g pork loin
  • 1 -2 medium oranges
  • Zest from unused ends of orange, optional
  • 200 ml BBQ sauce
  • 120 ml orange juice
  • 1-2 tbsp honey
  • 1 garlic clove minced, optional
  • 1-2 tsp cornflour in water, to thicken if needed
  • Oil, Salt, Pepper to taste
  • 1-2 tsp French mustard, or other mustard, optional
    Quantities are totally to personal taste.

Instructions

  1. Marinate the pork loin in BBQ sauce, orange juice, garlic, salt, pepper, honey for at least 1 hour, ideally 2.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) while the sauce simmers.
  3. Cut off the ends of the oranges, slicing the half from the middle and optionally halving.
  4. Take zest from the ends if using. Remove and loosely chop the pulp from the ends.
  5. Heat the oil and sear the loin on all sides until golden brown. the set aside.
  6. Pour the remaining marinade into the pan with the orange pulp and zest and cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes. Thicken if required.
  7. Spoon a little sauce over the bottom of the baking tray, place the loin in the middle with orange slices to the side.
  8. Cover the loin with a generous spooning of sauce and trickle a little on each orange slice. Retain the rest for serving.
  9. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, removing once to re-baste.
  10. Remove from the oven and let the tenderloin rest for a few minutes before slicing it.
  11. In the meantime, warm the remaining sauce, to which you can add juices from the baking tray.
  12. Arrange the orange slices on a serving plate and place the sliced loin on top, drizzling with sauce.
  13. Serve with the remaining gravy.
    Note: Cloves are sometimes included but this is a taste many dislike.
    Often recommended to serve with mashed potato but there are many options. Run riot with roast veggies.

Strawberry and Chocolate Tartlet

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Canarian Recipes: Tartaleta de fresa y chocolate 

The combination of chocolate and strawberry is unmatched. That delicious combination is especially perfect when packed into a cute little mini tart. These tarts are best served the day they are made.

(for 3 units)

  • 400 g shortcrust pastry
  • 30 g sugar
  • 200 g strawberry purée
  • 200 ml double cream
  • 150 g dark chocolate
  • 150 g cooking cream
  • 2 sheets of gelatine
  • Icing sugar
  • Fresh berries
  • Flaked coconut
  • Unsalted pistachios

Instructions

  1. Combine the strawberry purée (or crushed strawberries) with the double cream, reserving 5 tablespoons of the mixture. Freeze the remainder for 1 hour.
  2. Line the tartlet cases with the shortcrust pastry. Prick the base with a fork, place baking paper on top, add some dried legumes, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 180ºC.
  3. Allow to cool.
  4. Melt the chocolate in the heated cooking cream, allow to cool, and fill the tartlets. Chill in the fridge.
  5. Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water. Heat the reserved purée and dissolve the drained gelatine in it. Combine with the remaining cold mixture and mix well.
  6. Whip the mixture with electric beaters and pour over the chocolate ganache. Smooth the surface with a spatula and refrigerate.
  7. Decorate the tartlets with strawberries and fresh berries, chopped pistachios, flaked coconut, and a dusting of icing sugar.

Surf and Turf with Bearnaise Sauce

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Surf and turf is a main course that combines meat from the land (“turf”) with seafood from the sea (“surf”), typically featuring a steak paired with seafood such as lobster or large prawns. While lobster and filet mignon are a standard combination, variations include prawns, scampi or scallops, which may be steamed, grilled, or breaded and fried.

  • 4 filet mignon steaks 150-200g
  • 400g prawns(shrimp), peeled and deveined
  • Salt, pepper, oil or butter as needed
  • 60 ml white wine
  • 30 ml white wine vinegar
  • Small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 200g butter, melted
  • Tarragon, fresh or dried, optional

Béarnaise Sauce

  1. Cook wine, vinegar and onions in a pan over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until liquid is reduced to about 2 tbs.
  2. Blend with yolks then with motor running, slowly add hot melted butter. Stir in tarragon and season.
  3. Keep warm.

Surf and Turf

  1. Heat butter or oil over medium-high heat and sear the steaks for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium-rare.
  2. Adjust cooking time to desired doneness.
  3. Set aside and let them rest while cooking the prawns.
  4. In the same pan, melt butter and sauté the shrimp until pink and cooked through.
  5. Plate and serve with a drizzle of sauce and more onside.

 

Using Whole Peppercorns

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Different in every way, green and black peppers both come from the same plant – the Piper Nigrum vine. The distinct color and flavor of each type are simply a result of different harvesting and processing methods. Green peppercorns are picked before they’ve had the chance to mature hence the bright green color and the milder taste. Unless dried, they don’t keep well, unless preserved in brine or vinegar. 

Black peppercorns, on the other hand are harvested just before they fully ripen and are then blanched in hot water before being dried in the sun. During this drying process, their skin wrinkles and darkens while their flavor intensifies dramatically. The sun-drying also concentrates the peppercorns’ natural oils and piperine – the compound responsible for the heat.

Although not related to commercial pepper (Piper nigrum), the pink/red berries of the Peruvian Peppertree (schinus molle) are sold as pink peppercorns and often blended with commercial pepper.

Peppercorn Cocktails

The tiny dried berries, fruit of the black pepper vine, can lend some serious punch to cocktails. 
Black peppercorns are the strongest in flavor but white, green and pink peppercorns offer subtle variations in spice and heat. Green peppercorns have a fresher flavor and less pungency. White peppercorns pack some heat but aren’t quite as aromatic as black.  Pink peppercorns aren’t related to black peppercorns at all. Their flavor is similar, but more acidic and slightly sweet.

Peppercorns in Alcohol for Cooking

  • While traditionally peppercorns are soaked in water, saltwater, lemon juice or vinegar,  for 30 minutes to 2 hours, alcohol brings incredible depth of flavour to a sauce.
  • Classic creamy peppercorn sauce is made with cognac or brandy, but wine, vodka, marsala are good too.
  • Using freshly crushed peppercorns are best for a really great pepper flavour.

Lattice Apple Pie

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A classic lattice apple pie featuring a woven top crust made by layering 10-12 pastry strips over apple filling, allowing steam to escape for better caramelization.

  • 1kg apples, eg Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Braeburn
  • 120 g sugar
  • 2 tbsp cornflour level
  • 1 tsp cinnamon, to taste
  • Juice of 1 medium lemon
  • Pastry. 2 sheets of Shortcrust
  • Milk or egg wash to glaze/seal
  • 1 tbsp sugar to sprinkle on top

Pastry

  1. Gently place 1 sheet of pastry into your pie dish press the dough into the corners and edges, all the way to the top edge of the dish.
  2. Trim any excess with a sharp knife.
  3. Cut the second sheet into strips, width depending on how much you like your pastry 🙂 Between 1 and 2 inch thick.
  4. Put the pie dish, lattices and any spare pastry in your fridge to chill while you make the apple pie filling.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200°C,180°C air fryer

Apple Pie Filling

  1. Peel, core and slice all of the apples (or chop into 1″ chunks) and place into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add the lemon juice and mix together to coat the slices evenly.
  3. Next, add the sugar and cornflour and cinnamon and stir together to evenly coat the slices.
  4. Remove the chilled pie dish from the fridge and add your apple slices. You can do a fancy pattern if you want.

Begin creating your lattice!

  1. The design is up to you; simple weave where you lift one over and then one under.
  2. Brush the edges of the strips with milk/egg wash (where the strips meet the edge of the pastry base) and press firmly to seal the edges. This can get a little confusing so take your time. 😉
  3. Trim off the excess from the edges of the strips. If you like, finish it by pressing the back end of a fork into it to create pretty grooves round the edges!
  4. Brush the whole pie top with milk/egg wash and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar on top.

Bake

  1. Place the pie in your preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
  2. After 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 180°C (160° air fryer) and bake for a further 30-35 minutes.
  3. The pie will be baked when the crust is a lovely golden brown colour, the filling should be bubbling slightly and an apple slice should feel very soft when you poke a sharp knife into it.
  4. Leave to cool completely before serving, as the filling thickens and firms up as it cools. This allows you to cut neater slices to serve.

No time for lattice?

Easy Cheeseburger Bombs

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A quick dinner, tapa or lunchbox addition , these cheeseburger bombs are freezable, finger and child friendly, and easy to make ahead!

Ingredients

  • 500g ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork)
  • 150g grated cheddar cheese (or any melting cheese like mozzarella)
  • 50g grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)

For the Coating:

  1. Alternative to pastry: Mashed Potato, Instant works 🙂
  2. 2 pastry sheets
  3. Rolled thin, if preferred
  4. 50g breadcrumbs
  5. Alternatives: seeds, crushed nuts, crisps, cornflakes
  6. 20-30g grated Parmesan cheese
  7. 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  8. 1 egg, for egg wash, optional
  9. Sesame seeds, for topping, optional

 

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 360°F (180°C) . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it for easy cleanup.

Meatballs

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, Parmesan cheese, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Shape the Bombs

  • Divide the meat mixture into 8–10 equal portions (about 2 tablespoons each).
  • Flatten each portion into a disc.
  • Place a rounded teaspoon of grated cheese in the center of each disc and carefully wrap the meat around the cheese, sealing it completely.
  • Roll the filled meat into a smooth ball.

Coat the Bombs

  • In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder.
  • Sprinkle over the pastry and lightly roll until integrated then cut into squares.
  • Wrap each meatball in square, coating side outmost, the roll gently to ensure everything is sealed.

Bake the Bombs

  • Place the coated bombs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart.
  • Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Serve and Enjoy