"Papas Arrugadas con Mojo"
(Small Potatoes Boiled in Their Jackets with Mojo sauce)
Ingredients: 1 Kg. of small potatoes, 2 handfuls (1/4 Kg) of salt, 3 or 4 glasses of water.
Method:
1. Carefully wash the potatoes without peeling them but making sure that all the soil is removed from their jackets.
2. Place the potatoes in a pot along with the salt and add water until the potatoes are just covered completely
Once they are cooked, take out the water and place the pot with the potatoes again on to heat, moving them until they dry up (approximately two minutes).
3. Remove the pot from the heat and leave it to stand for several minutes wrapped in a cloth.
4. To end with, serve them on a tray and pour mojo evenly on top.
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"Mojo Rojo o Picón"
(Red or Spicy Mojo)
Ingredients: 1 bulb of garlic, 2 hot peppers, 1 teaspoon of cumin grains, 1 teaspoon of paprika, 4 spoons of vinegar, 15 spoons of olive oil and cooking salt to taste.
Method:
1. Peel and chop up the garlic cloves. Grind them in a mortar along with the cumin grains, the peppers with the seeds removed, and the cooking salt until they bind into a soft paste.
2. Add the paprika, and then slowly add the oil and vinegar while you stir it all into a thick paste.
3. This paste can be diluted to taste by using a small cup of water.
This sauce can be kept in good condition for several months in the fridge.
You can also make a not so spicy, milder sauce by using sweet peppers instead of hot peppers.
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"Ropa Vieja"
Ingredients: 1/2 Kg. of chickpeas, 1/2 Kg. of beef, 1/2 Kg. of chicken, 1 Kg. of potatoes, 3 garlic cloves, 1 pepper, 1 onion, 1 tomatoe, 1 small cup of white wine, 1 small cup of water or broth, paprika, black pepper, thyme, cloves, bay leaf, salt and oil.
Method:
1. Leave the chickpeas to soak and soften overnight.
2. Wash them thoroughly the next day and place them in a pot along with the meat, salt to taste and water.
3. Once cooked, drain everything off and shred the meat. Next fry the meat and the chickpeas until they get crispy and set them aside.
4. Make a frying base separately by first chopping up the onion, pepper, peeled tomato and garlic cloves. Fry it all with the oil, finally adding the black pepper and the cloves.
5. Once this base is ready, introduce the paprika, wine, thyme, bay leaf and a small cup of water or broth.
6. Next add the meat and chickpeas and then leave it for a few minutes on the heat.
7. Finally, fry the diced potatoes and mix in all the ingredients. You can also add other vegetables like carrots or green beans to this dish.
You can use the spare chickpeas and meat from the Canary casserole to prepare this dish.
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"Carajacas"
Ingredients: 1 Kg. of filleted liver, 1 bulb of garlic, 1 green pepper, 2 teaspoons of paprika, 2 sprigs of parsley, a teaspoon of powdered cumin, 1 glass of vinegar, olive oil, oregano and salt to taste.
Method:
1. Grind the garlic, pepper, cumin, parsley and salt.
Next add the oil, vinegar, paprika, oregano and mix it all in carefully.
2. Marinade the liver with this paste and leave it to macerate for between 4 to 5 hours.
3. Later on fry the liver filets with the same marinade, but without using any oil, and place them in a clay pot.
Cover it with the remaining marinade and boil it for several minutes.
Serve this dish with boiled potatoes or papas arrugadas.
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"Pata Asada"
(Roast Leg of Pork)
Ingredients: 1 leg of pork, 1 bulb of garlic, 1 lemon, 1 small cup of wine, oil, salt, oregano, paprika and black pepper.
Method:
1. Grind the garlic, salt, paprika, oregano and black pepper in a mortar.
2. Add the wine, the juice from half a lemon and oil little by little until it blends into a thick paste.
3. Spread this paste over the leg and leave it to stand overnight.
4. Next day roast the leg, opening the oven from time to time to sprinkle it with its own juice or with a little wine until it is well roasted.
5. Once it has cooled down, just cut off slices each time you are going to eat it.
This starter, along with the boiled small potatoes, is one of our most popular, an ever-present at any good party.
