The
answer is quite simple, Tapas were traditionally small individual dishes on
sale to provide a light snack during the day or as a starter before the evening
meal. The word Tapas literally means lid or top. It is believed that this comes from an old
custom where people placed a piece of bread or meat over a glass in the form of
a top to keep the flies and insects away! The edible top was known as a Tapa.
So if you’re
a first time visitor to Tenerife, or even a returning one, the range of
restaurants here as well as with many of the
other Canary Islands can be daunting. There seems
to be a tapas bar each corner you turn. One thing you can be sure of is if you
wander into any bar and the locals are eating Tapas…it will be a good tasty
meal and at a reasonable price.
Dishes
vary in each bar…here are a few traditional dishes you may find being served:
Alitas de pollo -
chicken wings
Atun en salsa
Rojo - Tuna in Red Sauce
Carne con Papas - Meat
and potato
Chipirones - Small
squids brushed with oil and griddled on a hot plate
Chicharrones - chunks
of cooked pork and crackling
Chorizo Iberico -
Iberian pork, spicy cured sausage
Garbanzos - A
chickpea stew flavoured with garlic and ham
Jamon Serrano - cured
ham thinly sliced
Lapas - Limpets in a
half shell drizzled with oil, fresh coriander and garlic.
Olivia - Olives
Paella - always
includes rice and saffron and either fish or meat
Papas arrugadas -
Salty potatoes un-skinned.
Pulpo (Octopus)
Queso
curado - strong mature sheep's cheese in olive oil
Salchichon
Iberico - Iberian pork salami type sausage
Tortilla
Espanol – Chunky omlette made from potato, onion, egg and normally served with
alioli.
Here are
two recipes you may like to try at home and you will find these served in most
local bars:
Chorizo in Red Wine
INGREDIENTS:
- 450g/1lb Chorizo Sausage, cut into slices 6mm/¼ inch thick
- 60ml/2fl.oz. Dry Red Wine
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped mixed Herbs (thyme, parsley, oregano)
- 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
- French bread cubes to serve
PREPARATION:
- 1.Preheat the oven to 220C, 425F, Gas Mark 7.
- 2.Place the sausage slices in a very shallow ovenproof dish.
- 3.Pour the wine, herbs and garlic over the sausage and bake for 10 minutes.
- 4.Serve hot with cubes of bread to soak up the sauce.
Mojo Verde
This dish comes
from the Canary Islands. It is a staple there,
and goes with just about everything! Try it with "papas arrugadas"
(small boiled potatoes with salt and lemon) for a Canary Island
specialty! Delicious! It keeps well in the refrigerator, and is even better
after a day or two. Serve at room temperature.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 garlic bulb
- 200ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 150ml White Wine Vinegar
- 1 handful of fresh coriander
- ½ teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
PREPARATION:
- 1.Firstly, peel the garlic cloves.
- 2.Place the garlic, cumin, vinegar and salt in a blender and puree until finely chopped.
- 3.Chop the coriander leaves.
- 4.Finally slowly mix in the coriander leaves and olive oil.
You will also see Gofio
on many a menu…it has been a staple part of the Canarian diet for years and it
is very much like flour made from toasted cereals. It was believed to be the
main food of the Guanches, the native people of Tenerife
and remains a popular dish to this day. Locals have this as a starter or mixed
with hot milk and Honey as part of their breakfast.
A huge variety of
food is available on the Canary Islands, so
get ready for a taste sensation to remember – Canarian style!
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