Sancocho canario is a typical dish of the Canarian and Spanish gastronomy. The recipe for sancocho canario is based on salted fish (generally wreckfish, donkey, sea bass, pompano or cod), sweet potato (in large pieces and without peeling), boiled potatoes and red or green mojo.
It isusually accompanied by the traditional pella de gofio (which is nothing more than the gofio itself kneaded with the boiled fish stock).
Nowadays the recipe for Canarian sancocho is usually prepared on public holidays, especially at Easter, but in past times of economic difficulties it was an important basis for Canarian gastronomy due to the ease of access to the raw materials that make up its ingredients.
The term "sancocho" means "half-cooked dish" or "half-cooked meal". It is believed that a variety of this dish reached the Canary Islands in the 14th century, passing from there to America after the discovery of the New World.
In this post we are going to show you how the sancocho canario de cherne is prepared, its ingredients and how it is made, as well as how it can be accompanied.
How to prepare the sancocho canario
The recipe for Sancocho Canario is a real delight. Although it is a typical option for Easter, it can be prepared at any time of the year. Its flavour will take you to the wonderful Fortunate Islands.
Ingredients
As we have indicated at the beginning, the recipe of sancocho canario can be based on any salted fish. We are going to give you the ingredients to make a delicious Sancocho Canario de cherne. These are the ones you will need:
- A kilo of cherne.
- Potatoes.
- Sweet potatoes.
- 6 garlic.
- A dry red pepper.
- Onion.
- Get out.
- Cumin.
- Vinegar.
- Olive oil.
- ½ of gofio (typical flour of the Canary Islands based on toasted cereals).
- Red mojo.
Elaboration
These are the steps you must follow to prepare the sancocho canario de cherne:
- To begin with, you must desalinate the cherne well. Leave it to soak for about 24 hours, changing the water from time to time so that it is tasty but without excess salt.
- When theerne is perfectly desalted, cook it in a pan with water, a sprig of parsley and onion. These flavors will bring joy to theerne. In about 8 minutes it will be ready. You will know when it is tender enough to melt and so that you can remove its thorns as easily as possible.
- Put the potatoes and the peeled and cut yams in another pot so that they gradually become cooked. Add some salt and wait until they are ready. Depending on how thick you cut them, it will take a little while. It is essential that they are uniform, as they will be the base of the dish.
- When the yams and potatoes are almost cooked, introduce the fish and let it cook for a quarter of an hour, making sure that it does not fall apart.
- Once all the ingredients have been cooked, drain well and serve.
However, it is not yet time to taste this delicacy. We are still missing its accompaniment: the pella de gofio and the red mojo.
How should I accompany the sancocho?
One of the main characteristics of the sancocho canario is its typical table presentation. The sweet potatoes and potatoes are placed on a tray, while the dry herb is placed on another tray, without any broth and ready to eat.
Finally, the pella de gofio is served on a separate plate, cut into slices so that diners can serve themselves at their leisure.
Next to the pella de gofio, a sauce maker with red mojo is placed, a typical sauce with the aromas of peppers as a base.
Both the pella de gofio and the red mojo must be prepared at the same time as you are making the recipe for sancocho canario.
Each of these two ingredients of the sancocho canario has its own ingredients and its own preparation. In a certain way, the recipe of sancocho canario is a 3 in 1.
Let's see what the ingredients are and how the pella de gofio and the red mojo are made.
To make pella de gofio you need: 200 grams of gofio, half a glass of water or milk, a spoonful of oil, a spoonful of sugar and salt.
The difference between using water or milk is that the latter softens the taste of cereal more than water. Either way is great.
To make it, pour the gofio into a bowl, add salt and sugar to the water or milk and mix until it dissolves well.
Add oil to the gofio and slowly pour in the water or milk, stirring it. Finish kneading with your hands until you see that everything is well bound. Form a cylinder with rounded edges.
Serve sliced thickly.
To prepare the red (or red) mojo you will need the following ingredients: a head of garlic, dried red pepper, half a spoonful of cumin, a spoonful of paprika, 15 spoons of olive oil, 4 spoons of vinegar, water and salt.
Crush the cumin and pepper in a mortar. You must have removed the seeds from the pepper before, and kept it in hot water for 30 minutes to soften it.
Then add the peeled garlic head and some salt, and keep crushing the mixture until a thick paste is formed.
Add the paprika, stir and add the vinegar, oil and a little water. If you see that the paste is too thick, add a little more water. Similarly, if it is a little bland to your taste, do not hesitate to add a little more salt. The important thing is that it is to your liking.
As you can see, the preparation of the recipe for sancocho canario is somewhat complex, not so much because of its preparation but because there are really 3 recipes. This is the reason why nowadays it is usually served only on holidays and celebrations. However, with a little patience, you can have a dish that will leave all your guestsin awe.
Photos: chef Samuel (cookpad.com, profile 2655402, Restaurant El Chorrillo de Tejeda, hogarmania.comGovernment of the Canary Islands.
