‘Papas Arrugadas’ are small, salty, wrinkled Canarian potatoes in their skins. Along with the red spicy pepper and milder green coriander mojo sauces they are served across the Canary Islands with meat and fish dishes or as tapas. Traditionally the potatoes are boiled in very salty water or even seawater, drained and sprinkled in yet more sea salt in case they weren’t salty enough. This is hypertension inducing cuisine. When we were in Tenerife last month we ate them so many times we were getting fed up of them, but once back home we began to miss them (along with the sunshine) so decided to find a more healthy way to recreate this classic holiday memory.
For the potatoes:
Put the washed but unpeeled potatoes in a large, deep pan and fill with enough water to cover them. Salt the water well, (traditionally for every kilo of potatoes add 250g of salt) and bring to the boil. Cook the potatoes for between 20-30 minutes until soft. Pour away the water and drain the potatoes without taking them out of the pan. Throw a handful of salt over them and dry them out while shaking them inside the hot pan for a couple of minutes.
Next it’s time for the Mojo sauces. The green Mojo Verde is commonly used for fish, made with green pepper or coriander. The more fiery red sauce – wonderfully named Mojo Rojo – is made from tomatoes, red peppers and paprika and is usually eaten with meat. Mojo is also commonly served in Tenerife with fresh bread at the beginning of a meal.
Red and Green Mojo Sauces
Ingredients: Mojo Verde
2 large green peppers
1/2 bunch fresh coriander
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 slice bread
Method:
To make the Mojo Verde sauce, simply put all the ingredients into a blender and blend into into a thick sauce. Taste it and add more salt if needed. Store in the fridge for a few days.
Ingredients: Mojo Rojo Picon (hot)
6 cloves garlic
4 small chillies
2 tomatoes
2 red pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 slice bread
Method:
To make the Mojo Rojo, again put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Taste the sauce and add more salt, herbs or spices to taste. Store in the fridge for a few days.
Every Canarian family, town and island has their own recipes, the sauces vary in flavour, spiciness and texture. Local variations include:
- Almogrote, by adding grated hard cheese turns the Mojo Rojo into a spicy cheese spread served with toast
- Saffron Mojo, often served with fried cheese
- Garlic Mojo, a punchy sauce ideal on pasta or pizza
- Herb Mojo, a blend of mixed herbs ideal for dressing a salad
walthamstowfoodies 
I remember having those almost every day in lanzarote. My absolute favourite!
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