What are the canarian tollos and some ways to elaborate them

Canary Islands recipes are among the most popular in the gastronomy of the archipelago, and the tollos are one of the most famous.

This typical product of the most traditional Canarian cuisine consists of a series of strips resulting from cutting the dogfish (although they can be taken from other sharks as well), hung and dried in the sun.

Tollo dry in Marca Canaria

It is one of the best examples of how fish has always been harvested on the islands. It can be eaten in sauce or dry.

What are tollos

A dogfish is a species of shark that is also called dogfish, catfish, thigh, sandpaper and dogfishamong others. They are generally sharks from demersal habitats, i.e. living near the seabed.

They are usually no more than 2 metres in length and are distributed in warm, temperate and cold waters, from depths of less than 100 metres to more than 2000 metres.

Dogfish

Fishing for these sharks, highly appreciated for both their meat and their liver oilThe fishing is done with bottom gear, especially trawl and longline.

How to prepare the authentic canarian tollos

In addition to the Canary Islands, tollos are also highly appreciated in Andalusian and Argentinean gastronomy. However, the way of preparing this delicious fish dish has its own particularities in the Canary Islands, where they are eaten with different preparations.

The most famous are the dogfish in saucealso known as Grandma's, and the mojo hoppers.

Boiled Mojo Tollos by David Moraga (recipe by Mariluz Ravelo), Hotel GF Victoria, Adeje; photo by Tato Gonçalves

Tollos in sauce

To prepare some delicious Tollos en salsa or de la abuela (perhaps the most traditional and homemade way of preparing them), for 4 diners, you should have the following ingredients:

  • -Tollos: one kilo of desalted water (they must spend at least 24 hours in fresh water before cooking).
  • -Tomatoes: 600 grams.
  • -Onions: 300 grams.
  • -Garlic head: 1.
  • -Tomillo: a bunch.
  • -White wine.
  • -Get out.
  • -Cominos.
  • -Pepper.
  • -Laurel: a leaf.
  • -Extra virgin olive oil: a quarter of a litre
  • -Sweet paprika: one small spoonful.
  • -Vinegar: one spoonful.
  • -Cilantro: this ingredient is optional.

Tollos in sauce

Once you have all these ingredients prepared in your kitchen, it's time to start elaboration of the tollos in sauce following these steps:

-When the hoppers are desalinated after soaking for 24 hours, wash them, dry them well (using kitchen paper, for example) and cut them into small pieces.

-Bake them for about 10 minutes in water to soften them and reserve them while you prepare the sauce.

-Pour a dash of olive oil into a pot and heat it to make a sauce with the onion, garlic, pepper (all cut into small pieces), a bay leaf and a bunch of thyme.

-When the vegetables are poached, add the tomatoes (peeled and cleaned of seeds), the paprika and a dash of white wine to the frying.

-When the ingredients are cooked, and the sauce has acquired a good color, add the tollos and pour water until they are completely covered.

-Add vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste and let everything cook for about 20 minutes.

-If you decide to use the coriander, add it after you've put out the fire. Your tollos in sauce will be ready to serve.

Tollos with potatoes, in Marca Canaria

Red Mojo Trolls

This recipe is another very traditional way of preparing tollos. You will need the following ingredients:

  • -Tollos: one kilogram.
  • -Garlic: a medium-sized head.
  • -Ground cumin coffee: 2 teaspoons
  • -Palm peppers: 3.
  • -Get out.
  • -Olive oil: 300 ml.
  • -Wine vinegar: 100 ml.
  • -Hot pepper.
  • -Slices of toast: 2.

With all the ingredients at hand, it's time to take action by following these steps:

-First thing is to have soaked the tollos for at least 24 hours, changing the water at least a couple of times.

-Put them in a pot, cover them with clean water and some salt and cook them until they are very tender. When this happens, remove them from the stove and drain the water.

-The next step is to make the red mojo. Put the whole and peeled garlic cloves, the palm peppers, 100 ml of vinegar, 300 ml of olive oil, salt and hot pepper in a bowl (if you don't like spicy foods or are intolerant to them, you can do without this ingredient). Grind all the elements with an electric arm and add the two slices of toast to thicken the sauce. Grind again and the red mojo is ready.

-Add the mojo to the tollos you had in the cauldron and let it cook until it boils.

Once they've rested, you'll have a spectacular dish of tollos with red mojo. To give it even more flavor you can to accompany them with a few wrinkled potatoes. An authentic and complete festival of Canarian gastronomy.

Canarian Tollos

Why you should try this recipe

Eating a good plate of tollos is a good way to get to know one of the most traditional Canarian recipes.

Not only is it a dish that, when properly prepared and seasoned, is finger-licking good, but has great nutritional values and is not particularly fatteningwhich comes in handy for any balanced diet.

Your high protein content It is a great source of energy and promotes the creation and maintenance of muscles.

Tollos are suitable for diabetics and very beneficial for people who suffer from hypertension and high cholesterol. In addition, the presence of vitamin B in this fish helps blood circulation and fights neuronal aging.

The Fortunate Islands are so because of their wonderful climate, their landscapes full of beauty and contrasts, their rich cultural heritage and, of course, their gastronomy, of which the tollos are a real monument.

Photos: cram.org, mojosguachinerfe.blogspot.com, canarias7.es, pellagofio.es. 

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