Papas Arrugadas

Papas Arrugadas or Canary Potatoes as we also know them. Cooked in so much salt they have a salty crust on them. Originally they would have used sea water, but these days you use tap water with tons of salt.

The pic here on my ipod doesn't quite do them justice - they were really crusted all over with salt. 

My grandparents found Tenerife back in the early 80's. Back then you played cards in the library, dressed up for dinner and repaired to the drawing for brandy or liqueurs. Going back twice a year (November and the whole of February) they met up with a social scene of fellow English holidaymakers of the same age who kept going back to - a home from home.

Every night it would be a different restaurant - there were lots to choose from, many of which now have sadly closed as the younger generations tastes have moved on, and the owners of the restaurants have retired. Most of the restaurateurs knew their regular customers, even though they came out only twice a year - that's how to keep people coming back!

One of the must have accompaniments for every main course was the papas arrugadas served with mojo sauce which comes as either green or red, based on green or red chilli peppers. We've always tried to reprocate the sauce, but never quite got it as nice. A work in progress. Green seems to go better with fish, red with meat.

Up to last year I had also never quite ventured into trying those potatoes, but they were the ideal accompaniment for whatever Spanish theme menu I was doing that night.

You say Papas, I say Patatas

The Spanish word for potatoes is Patatas as you know from patatas bravas. Papas is the word they use in Latin America. It was the Incas who brought potatoes over from Latin America in the 1500's, at first as a plant, nobody really wanted to eat them.

In truth we don't have quite the right potatoes in this country. In Tenerife it's Papa Negra. The nearest I could find was Jersey Royals because of the hard earthy skin.

This is more salt than you can think is humanly possible, but hang in there- they're going to be amazing potatoes!


Ingredients

750g Jersey Royal Potatoes (if out of season small King Edwards might work well)
150g Sea salt
Water to cover

How to

Put the Potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add the salt. Bring to the boil and boil for about 20 minutes till soft. Drain the water and put the potatoes back in the pan on a low heat to boil dry. This is what makes the dry salt crust on the outside.

If you're cooking these in advance I found you could reheat them in the oven on a tray with foil over for about 15 minutes @ 180 oC.