Islas Canarias The many fruits and vegetables that are cultivated in these temperate islands, and the abundance of fish, make Canary Island cooking at once delicious, simple and light. Though perhaps best known for its tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, and other tropical fruits, the cuisine has a more plentiful base. It is a cosmopolitan blend, inspired by recipes from the Peninsula (especially Castilla, Extremadura, and Andalucía), Latin America, Africa, and from its native Guanches. For example, a hearty Cocido from the Peninsula is transformed into Puchero Canario, made with yams, squash, pears, sweet potatoes, and garbanzos. Perhaps the most "exported" Canarian recipe is mojo, a sauce made of oil, vinegar, garlic and various spices. Mojo can accompany meat, fish, potatoes, whatever you choose, and there are as many variations as there are cooks. Mixed with paprika, it becomes Mojo Colorado; with peppers, Mojo Picón; with cilantro, Mojo Verde. Other island specialties include Papas Arrugadas, wrinkled potatoes cooked in very salty water, and Conejo en Salmorejo, savory marinated rabbit. Canarian wines have a long history, praised even by Shakespeare, and in the 16th and 17th centuries were the principal economic engine of the islands.
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