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Sweet Potato Trout

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Canarian Recipes: Trucha de Batata

Sweet potato dumplings are a delightful dessert and a cherished homemade recipe often made for Christmas. No-one seems to now why it has a “fishy” name. It’s  a pastry but with a sweet filling.

Ingredients for the Dough

  • 1 kg of flour
  • 200 g of sugar
  • 200 g of butter or lard
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder (Royal type)
  • Grated lemon zest

For the Filling

  • 1.5 kg of yellow sweet potatoes 
  • 50 g of almonds
  • Grated lemon zest
  • Cinnamon
  • 2 whole eggs
  • Anise seed (a little)
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar, plus extra for decoration

Making the Dough

  1. Knead the flour with the lard and a little butter until the dough no longer sticks to your hands.
  2. Allow it to rest for a while.
  3. Then, roll out the dough with a rolling pin and use a bowl or cutting ring to form the circles, which will be ready for filling.

Preparing the Filling

  1. Cook the sweet potatoes in salted water until soft. Peel them and mash well with a fork.
  2. Next, add the peeled and ground almonds, cinnamon, a little anise liqueur, and mix thoroughly.
  3. Taste the mixture to see if it needs any additional ingredients.
  4. Once the filling is ready, start filling the circles; place the filling from the centre towards the front and fold them in half, creating a crescent shape.
  5. Seal the edges with a fork, decorating the edge to resemble a shell.
  6. Fry them in hot oil, and as they darken, remove them from the pan.
  7. Drain excess oil by placing them on absorbent paper.
  8. Once drained, arrange them on trays and sprinkle with sugar on top.

Chicken, Mushroom & Asparagus Penne

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  • 340g penne pasta
  • 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces1
  • 60g mushrooms, sliced
  • 150g asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 120ml double cream
  • 100g grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Cook penne pasta according to package instructions.
  2. Cook chicken, mushrooms, and asparagus in oil, until chicken is cooked through.
  3. Add the cream, slowly, Parmesan cheese and seasoning and simmer until sauce thickens.
  4. Combine cooked pasta, chicken, and sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Serve hot, garnished with parsley or basil leaves (optional).

Turkish Eggs Canarian Style

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Canarian Recipes: Huevos Turcos al Estilo Canario

A versatile savory dish originally based on  Cilbir (Turkish Eggs) with boiled or poached eggs, peppers optional, served over a delicious garlicky yogurt and topped with cheese. Enjoy with fresh bread,

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 large tomato
  • 2 to 3 crushed garlic cloves
  • Grated cheese, any melting cheese, to taste
  • 1 to 3 tbsp yogurt, to taste
  • 1-2 tbsp butter, to taste
  • Chilli flakes, optional, to taste
  • Salt, Pepper, Herbs

Optional Variation

  • Half a small red pepper.
  • Half a small green pepper.

Preparation

  1. In a frying pan with a dash of oil, sauté the garlic, onion and peppers if using.

  2. Add salt, pepper, chilli flakes if using, and stir.

  3. Blend in yogurt and butter to taste.

  4. Transfer to a dish and cover with a handful of cheese.

  5. Cover with the tomato cut into thin slices and put the eggs cut in half.
    Poached eggs also work well, even fried 🙂

  6. Cover with cheese again and sprinkle with the aromatic herbs.

Cheesy French Onion Meatloaf

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A juicy, savory meatloaf slow cooked in a rich onion base, loaded with caramelized onions and melty cheese of your choice. Serve with mashed potato and homemade gravy.

Ingredients

  • 500g ground beef
  • 400g ground pork (or you can use 900g beef)
  • 1 small onions, reserve rings then chop fine
  • 1 packet onion soup mix (substitute below)
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 60ml milk
  • 60-120ml beef broth, to taste
  • 1 large egg
  • 50g grated mozzarella or cheddar
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 garlic clove minced

If serving with gravy

  • 500 ml water
  • 1 stock cube
  • 3-4 tsp corn flour

Instructions

  1. Pre-Heat the oven to 180C/350F
  2. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork (if using), onion soup mix, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, chopped onion, black pepper and garlic.
  3. Form the mixture into a loaf shape that will fit in your baking dish. decorate with onion rings.
  4. Pour 60ml of beef broth around the sides of the meatloaf (not directly over the top).
    Note: If the dish is too large make a tin foil parcel.
  5. If you want the meatloaf to stay extra moist, use the additional 60ml.
  6. Cover with foil.
  7. Bake in the oven for 1 hour plus 10-30 minute, until the meatloaf is cooked through.
  8. Once the meatloaf is cooked, carefully remove/open the foil, dress with the cheese and bake or grill on high until melted and browning.
  9. Remove it from dish and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. 
  10. Slice and serve with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables or a side salad. Any gravy from the meatloaf can be served.


Gravy if making

  1. Dissolve the stock cube in water and bring to the boil.
  2. Lower the heat and slowly add half the corn flour, stirring until thickened.
  3. Add the juices from the meatloaf and more corn flour needed to thicken further.

Substitute for Dry Onion Soup Mix

There is NO practical substitute other than to increase onions, reduce liquid (a little) and add salt or stock cubes, herbs and spices to taste, optional. Of course, if you are one of the minority who keeps a store cupboard with every herb and spice under the sun, you can easily make the substitution, otherwise maybe just go buy a soup mix.

  • 15g dried onion flakes
  • 30g beef bouillon granules (2-3 cubes)
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes
  • 1/8 tsp celery seed
  • 1/8 tsp paprika
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

Quail Lollipops with Raspberry Sauce

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Often served in Tenerife as a New Year’s Day tapa (Chupachups de Codorniz con Salsa de Frambuesa), this dish offers a delicious flavor and vibrant color.

Ingredients for 4

  • 24 quail thighs
  • 50 grams of sugar
  • juice of 1orange
  • tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • tsp honey
  • raspberries
  • olive oil and salt

Instructions

  1. Remove the skin and move all the meat towards the end of the bone and season.
  2. Squeeze the juice of an orange.
  3. Fry the quail drumsticks in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil until they are golden brown.
  4. Remove the excess oil and add the sugar, orange juice, vinegar and honey.
  5. Cook until the drumsticks are well caramelized.
  6. Set aside the quail drumsticks.
  7. Prepare a raspberry sauce with the remaining caramel in the pan.
  8. Crush the raspberries with it, strain the puree.
  9. Serve the sauce with the quail thighs.

 

Salted Fish with Sweet Potatoes

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Canarian Recipes: Pescado Salado con Batatas

This simple Canarian dish consists of stewed grouper or salt cod accompanied by boiled potatoes (optional) and sweet potatoes . It is usually served with red or green mojo sauce.

For 4 people

  • 800 g salted fish (such as grouper, corvina, cod, samak)
  • 4–6 sweet potatoes, preferably Canary red
  • 3–4 potatoes (optional, if you wish to mix)
  • Olive oil
  • Red mojo or green mojo, optional

Instructions

Desalting the Fish
Rinse the fish under cold water to remove excess salt.
Soak it in fresh water for 24 hours, changing the water 2–3 times.
(If it is particularly salty, it may require up to 36 hours.)

Cooking the Sweet Potatoes
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into large chunks.
Boil them in water with a pinch of salt (just a little, as the fish adds salt).
Cook until tender (20–25 minutes).
CAUTION: Do not let them disintegrate.

Cooking the Fish
When the sweet potatoes are nearly ready, place the desalted fish in cold water in another pot.
Turn on the heat and let it boil for only 8–10 minutes.
If boiled for too long, it will become tough.

Serving
Serve the hot fish accompanied by:
boiled sweet potatoes, potatoes (if included), and Canary mojo (either spicy red or coriander green).
You may add a drizzle of olive oil on top.

Traditional Tip
In many households, this dish is accompanied by escaldado gofio, Canarian bread, or a small glass of wine.

Almogrote Croquettes

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Almogrote is a spread traditionally made with cured cheese, garlic, and oil. This flavourful blend has now been creatively incorporated into croquettes. While the texture in the croquette form is more liquid than the traditional spread, it retains the distinctive taste of the original almogrote.

Ingredients

  • 100g of butter or one tablespoon
  • 100g of white onion or half an onion
  • 50g of spring onion or leek if you prefer
  • 700ml of milk
  • 150g of flour
  • 200g of almogrote (they usually come in this size)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Flour, eggs and breadcrumbs for coating
  • Olive or sunflower oil for frying

Method

  1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil and then add the diced portion of butter, helping it to melt quickly.
  2. While you’re finely dicing the onion so it blends well, thinly slice the spring onion or leek leaves and mix them with the onion.
  3. Once the butter has melted, add the vegetables to the saucepan and let them cook for at least 10 minutes over low heat.
  4. While the onion is cooking, heat the milk in another container at medium temperature.
  5. Once the vegetables are cooked, gradually add the wheat flour to the saucepan and stir until well combined with the sautéed vegetables. Let it cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. You’ll see a solid dough form and the flour toast.
  6. Gradually add the hot milk, stirring constantly until the béchamel sauce is ready. All the ingredients in the saucepan should be well combined. 
  7. Remove the béchamel sauce from the heat and add the prepared almogrote, mixing it evenly. It will have a yellowish cream consistency. Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper if needed.
  8. Pour the mixture into a glass container or bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it set in the refrigerator for a day. If you’re in a real hurry, we recommend leaving it for at least 3 hours.
  9. Let’s create the final croquette! The dough has rested, and now it’s time for the final step.
  10. Prepare three containers: one with flour, one with egg, and one with fine breadcrumbs. Take portions of the dough with a spoon and shape them into your preferred croquette form. Then, coat each croquette in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
  11. All the croquettes are now formed. You can store them in the refrigerator or freezer, or cook them right away.
  12. Heat plenty of oil in a deep frying pan and add the croquettes when it’s very hot.
  13. Remove them and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. 

Chorizo Teror Croquetas

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Moya, Gran Canaria, is known for its wide array of croquette flavours. Among the most popular are those featuring the renowned chorizo from the village of Teror. These croquettes embody the unique taste of one of the Canary Islands’ most celebrated sausages.

Ingredients
4-5 servings

  • 1/2 onion
  • 1/2 leek
  • 2 teeth garlic
  • 1-2 Teror sausages
  • 150-200 g flour
  • 1/2 l milk
  • 1 spoon butter
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Chopped parsley

For breading:

  • Flour
  • eggs
  • breadcrumbs

Step by step

  1. Peel the onion and garlic.
  2. Clean the leek.
  3. Chop the leek and onion. P
  4. Cut the leek, onion, and garlic in a food processor.
  5. Blend the vegetables.
  6. Sauté the onion, garlic, leek, and chopped parsley in a pot.
  7. Add the chorizo, stir. Add the flour, stir.
  8. Add the milk and stir.
  9. Season the dough.
  10. Shape and bread.

For Breading

The standard order is Flour, then Eggs, then Breadcrumbs (F-E-B), a three-step process where flour helps the egg stick, the egg acts as glue, and the crumbs provide the crust, with all stages often seasoned for flavor.

Use a “dry hand” for flour/crumbs and a “wet hand” for eggs to keep it clean, and chilling the breaded item before cooking helps the coating adhere.

To Cook Croquettes

Typically deep-fry them in oil heated to 180°C (350-356°F) for 3-6 minutes until golden brown and crispy, draining them on paper towels.

To bake, heat the oven to 180C/160C fan and air fryer/gas 4 and bake for 20-25 mins until deeply golden and crisp.

 

How to Cook a Perfect Steak

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A classic steak with sauce is best achieved by pan-searing the steak in a hot pan (using butter/oil) and making a pan sauce while it rests. See below for 6 popular, quick, 5-minute sauces.

How Well Done?

As  guide. for a 1-inch thick steak, cook 2–3 minutes per side for rare, 3–4 minutes for medium-rare, 4–5 minutes for medium, 5-6 minutes for well-done over high heat.

6 Great Sauces for Your Perfect Steak.

Peppercorn Sauce
Creamy peppercorn sauce has a lovely rich warmth to it that goes so well with a juicy steak. Ready in 10 minutes!

Diane Sauce
Creamy Diane sauce, spiked with cognac and a touch of mustard, is fantastic for steak. Ready in 10 minutes!

Garlic Butter Sauce
This simple garlic butter is so versatile! Use to top steak, make your own garlic bread, or even stir into cooked pasta with a pinch of chilli flakes.

Creamy Mushroom Sauce
This creamy mushroom sauce is rich, velvety and utterly delicious. Serve with steak, using those pan juices for ultimate flavour.

Red Wine Sauce
Put those steak pan juices to work with a tangy, rich and decadent. sauce. The addition of beef stock ensures it stretches far enough that everyone has plenty!

Blue Cheese Sauce
Blue cheese sauce is a bold, creamy, tangy sauce with a hint of garlic that’s easy to whip up while your steak is resting.

Sauce Recipes for Steak

Croquetas de Jamón Serrano

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Small rolls made from a mixture of olive oil, butter, flour, and milk flavored with Serrano ham and deep-fried to crispy perfection. (Although, if you’re like the locals in Spain, you might want to try more adventurous flavors, like mushroom or even chocolate!)

Ingredients for 4 people (40 units):

For the béchamel sauce:

  • 100g Serrano Ham
  • 100g of all-purpose flour
  • 1 small onion
  • 1/2 liter of whole milk
  • 200-300 ml of beef broth
  • 40 ml of olive oil
  • Salt
  • Nutmeg

For the batter:

  • 200g of breadcrumbs
  • 3 eggs
  • Mild olive oil for frying

How to make

  1. Finely chop the onion and cut the Serrano ham into small cubes and set them aside.
  2. Heat the chicken broth in a saucepan over medium heat and keep it warm for later use. In a separate saucepan, heat the milk and set it aside to add to the béchamel sauce.
  3. In a large frying pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
  4. Once the onion is ready, add the diced Serrano ham and sauté lightly. Don’t let it brown too much, as we want to maintain its soft texture and avoid overly strong croquettes. Add all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spatula.
  5. Let it cook for about 6-7 minutes, stirring constantly, so the flour toasts slightly and loses its raw taste. Be careful not to burn it, as this will make the croquettes bitter.
  6. Gradually pour in the hot stock, stirring constantly until the mixture is well combined and forms a thick paste.
  7. Then, gradually add the hot milk, ensuring it’s fully incorporated before adding more. Cook the béchamel sauce over medium heat until it reaches a smooth and creamy consistency.
  8. Adjust the thickness by adding a little more milk if needed, and season with a pinch of salt and nutmeg to taste.
  9. Once the béchamel sauce is ready and has reached the desired consistency, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a tray. Let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating it for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
  10. When making the croquettes, prepare the breading ingredients by placing the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Separately, beat the eggs in another bowl.
  11. Once all the ingredients are prepared, coat the croquettes. To do this, take a portion of the dough with a spoon and, using another spoon or your hands, shape it into a croquette. Then, dip it in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs.
  12. Press lightly to shape them and ensure the coating adheres well. As you form them, place them on a board so the coating dries slightly, preventing them from opening up while frying. Repeat the process with all the dough until all the croquettes are ready.
  13. Once the croquettes are shaped, it’s time to fry them: heat plenty of mild olive oil in a frying pan and, when the oil is hot, add the croquettes in small batches. This will prevent them from falling apart or absorbing too much oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove the croquettes from the oil and place them on paper towels to absorb any excess grease.
  14. Once they are all fried, serve immediately, piping hot, to enjoy their best texture, creamy and tasty.