A perennially popular starter for holiday-makers and locals. Sizzling garlic prawns finished with a splash of sherry creates the most aromatic sauce – perfect for sharing and mopping up with warm crusty bread.

Recipe provided by Nerina of Event & Catering Solutions Lanzarote.

INGREDIENTS

• 400g raw king prawns, peeled

• 4 large garlic cloves, finely sliced

• 1 small red chilli, finely chopped

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 60ml fino or manzanillo sherry

• Sea salt & cracked black pepper

• Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped

• ½ lemon, cut into wedges

• Warm crusty bread, to serve

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil gently in a large frying pan or terracotta dish.

2. Add the sliced garlic and chilli and cook slowly for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not coloured. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and put to one side.

3. Increase the heat slightly and add the prawns. Cook for around 1-2 minutes on each side until just turning pink.

4. Pour in the sherry and allow it to bubble gently for a minute so the alcohol softens and the flavours deepen into the oil.

5. Finish with chopped parsley, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a little cracked black pepper.

6. Serve with warm bread to soak up the rich garlicky sherry sauce.

Chef’s tip: Terracotta cazuelas (dishes) of various sizes can be bought cheaply in most large supermarkets. Soak new dishes in water overnight, dry and wipe with oil to “cure” them.

The post How to make Garlic Prawns with Sherry first appeared on Gazette Life.

Is it possible to live entirely on food produced on Lanzarote? If you want to keep it local and support island businesses, here’s how to go about it.

Lanzarote is a small island where agriculture is no longer as important as it used to be. But that doesn’t mean that food isn’t produced here. In recent years, farmers have greatly expanded their range of products.

• FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

There should be little problem with living on locally produced fruit and veg. Lanzarote’s onions and sweet potatoes are unmatched anywhere in the world, and market stalls will show the wide range of products available.

• BREAD AND CEREALS

These staple elements of many diets pose a problem when it comes to ingredients. While Lanzarote used to grow plenty of barley, wheat and maize, very little appears to be available now. As a result, the basic elements for bread, and even the Canarian staple of gofio, will not be 100% Lanzarote.

There are, however, plenty of bakers that produce fresh bread, and the old windmill in San Bartolomé is once again grinding high-quality gofio.

• PULSES

Lentils, chickpeas, peas and other pulses have been an important part of the island’s diet for centuries. In fact, you’ll find “Lanzarote lentils”, a popular strain developed on the island, in supermarkets all over Spain.

Pulses are no longer widely produced on the island, but you can still find them if you hunt around.

• DRINKS

There’ll be no difficulty celebrating with local alcoholic drinks. Lanzarote wine, made from locally grown grapes, is perhaps the island’s most famous product, and there are white, red, rosé and sparkling versions available. It also worth keeping an eye out for locally produced gins and vermouths.

Canarian beers such as Dorada and Troical are brewed elsewhere in the Canaries, but there are also at least four microbreweries on the island that brew excellent beers from imported ingredients. Bottled water is no longer produced on the island, but the tap water is perfectly safe.

• MEAT AND FISH

The most important local meats on Lanzarote are pork and goat, both of which are slaughtered at the abattoir in Maneje. Sheeps, cattle and rabbits are also available. These meats are sold at smaller butchers’ shops and local supermarkets such as chacón.

Fish is regularly caught off Lanzarote, and any fish counter will direct you towards local catches. It’s also worth going direct to source, at the Cofradias de Pesca in the harbours of Arrecife, Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca.

• DAIRY

Lanzarote’s goat cheese is widely available and well worth discovering. Sweet, mild queso fresco is a versatile, delicious Canarian product, while the sharp, tangy semicurados are a delight.

Goat’s milk and yoghurt is also available in certain outlets. Many outsiders are suspicious of goat’s milk, but that prejudice seems to derive from smelly French cheeses such as Roule de Chevre. In fact, goats milk is sweet, mild and delicious, and often preferred by those with lactose intolerances.

• OTHER PRODUCTS

Sea salt from Janubio is cheap and widely available, and Lanzarote has recently started to produce olive oil, although this is currently very expensive and sold more as a gourmet product.

Honey is produced on Lanzarote, as are local jams and preserves made from prickly pears and other fruits.

• SHOPPING LOCALLY

If you’re interested in buying local produce, it’s a good idea to shop small in local greengrocers, butchers, fishmongers and markets. The shopkeepers there will usually have a much greater knowledge of the provenance of products, and can make recommendations.

Shops such as Tías Fruit in Tías, Super Máguez in Puerto del Carmen, La Tienda de Lourdes in Soo and Frutas & Verduras in Playa Honda are the sort of establishments to look out for, and it’s also worth getting to know local markets such as the ones at Arrecife and Haría on Saturday morning (Haría’s covered market is also recommended) and Teguise and Mancha Blanca on Sunday.

Locally-owned supermarkets such as Chacón and Hiperdino are more likely to stock island products than big discount chains such as Aldi and Lidl.

It is, admittedly, difficult to live entirely on food produced in Lanzarote, but Canarian produce offers a much wider range.

The post Island Eating: How Local Can Your Lanzarote Diet Be? first appeared on Gazette Life.

A hearty and filling peasant dish originally eaten by goatherds on the island of El Hierro, this tasty vegetarian soup adds flavour to the potatoes with smoked semicurado cheese. An egg is added for each diner.

Recipe provided by El Enyesque del Archipielago restaurant, CC Costa Mar, Avenida de las Playa 75, Puerto del Carmen.

INGREDIENTS

• 300-400 g of semi-cured smoked Herreño cheese, diced or grated (you can use any smoked goat cheese)

• 3-4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 1 onion

• 2-3 cloves of garlic

• 1-2 ripe tomatoes, peeled

• Fresh coriander (cilantro) or parsley to taste

• 3-4 eggs

• 1.5 to 2 litres of water

• Extra virgin olive oil

• A few saffron threads

• Sea salt

• 1 tspn Pimentón dulce (sweet paprika) (optional)

METHOD

1. To make the broth, bring water to the boil in a large pot. Crush garlic, onions, tomato, saffron, pimentón, salt, oil and herbs roughly in a mortar or give them a quick whizz in a blender. Add to the water with the chopped potatoes and simmer for 20-25 minutes over medium heat until the potatoes are tender.

2. Once the potatoes are cooked, add the diced or grated smoked cheese. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes so the cheese heats through and releases its flavour.

3. Then add the eggs to the broth. You can do this in two ways: directly into the boiling broth, letting them cook for 3 minutes until the whites are set, or beat the eggs and add them in a thin stream, stirring constantly so that egg “threads” form in the soup. 4. Finally, turn off the heat and adjust the salt if necessary.

The post How to Make El Hierro Cheese Soup first appeared on Gazette Life.

For Canary Day, we’ve asked the Enyesque del Archipiélago restaurant in Puerto del Carmen, for one of their classic Canarian recipes. If you fancy more, just head to the Costamar Shopping Centre opposite Los Pocillos beach.

Gofio is an ancient Canarian staple, a toasted and ground cereal eaten by the original natives of the island long before the conquest. Nowadays, it’s usually made from maize, wheat or barley, and we’d recommend the La Molina brand, made here in Lanzarote in the old windmill at San Bartolomé.

This is a simple Canarian dish, usually served as an accompaniment to meat or fish dishes. Traditional stews such as pucheros often provide the meat stock for the gofio, but you can buy your own. To be really traditional, cut a red onion into quarters and use the resulting slices as “spoons”.

INGREDIENTS

• 200 g Gofio

• 250 g pork ribs

• 500 mls meat stock

• Red onion

• 100 g queso fresco (Canarian fresh cheese, available in all supermarkets)

METHOD

1. If you’ve bought salted pork ribs (the most traditional ingredient), wash the salt off and soak for 6-8 hours, changing the water two or three times.

2. Cover the ribs in water and simmer for 45-60 minutes, until the meat is soft. Remove the ribs and shred the meat.

3. Over a low heat, add the ribs to the gofio and small chopped pieces of queso fresco (leave some for garnishing) . Add the meat stock, stirring continually until you have a thick, porridge-like consistency.

4. To serve, put the gofio in a lebrillo (a typical Canarian semi-glazed earthenware bowl) and decorate with chopped red onion and chopped queso fresco.

Chef’s tip: Whip up a green mojo sauce by blending a bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), 2 cloves of garlic, 100 mls of olive oil, 2-3 tbspns of white wine vinegar and a tspn of cumin. Once ready, drizzle it on the gofio.

The post How To Make Escaldón de Gofio first appeared on Gazette Life.

The tortilla is one of the cornerstones of Spanish cooking. Although sometimes called an omelette, it is nothing like the French version- thicker, denser and served in slices like a cake. It’s one of the most popular tapas dishes, and it’s well worth learning how to get it right.

Spain and its chefs are divided into cebollistas (those who like onions in their tortilla) and sincebollistas (antionionists) and arguments are fierce. Some heretics even add chopped ham or chorizo or other ingredients. It’s up to you.

INGREDIENTS

• 7 eggs

• Two large potatoes

• One large onion

• Plenty of olive oil

EQUIPMENT

• A 22-24 cm nonstick frying pan

• A silicon spatula

• Three glass bowls

• A metal sieve

• A potato peeler

• A plate slightly larger than the frying pan

• Kitchen paper

METHOD

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into smallish chunks by hand with a paring knife.

2. Put a centimetre of oil in the pan, add the potatoes, season with salt and turn the cooker on. Stir frequently and be sure not to brown the potatoes too soon. While you’re doing this, chop the onion roughly, crack the eggs into a separate bowl and beat them gently without introducing too much air. Once the potatoes are soft (around 20 minutes), turn the heat up and cook until slightly golden.

3. Strain the potatoes and put to one side in a bowl. Using the drained oil, fry the onion until soft and almost transparent. Add oil if required. Drain and add onions to the potatoes. Leave this mixture to cool for at least 15 minutes.

4. Now, stir the beaten egg into the potato and onion mixture, return oil to the pan and bring to a medium heat. Add the mixture to the pan and do not stir. Lightly oil the plate. Loosen the edges of the tortilla with a spatula, and shake the pan a little to ensure it moves around. When you see the underside edges of the tortilla turning golden, place the plate upside down over the pan, protect your hands with a teatowel and flip the tortilla onto the plate over the sink.

5. Gently ease the tortilla back into the pan and cook for a further three minutes.

6. Slide it out onto a plate, allow it to cool until it’s warm and serve.

Chef’s tip: Some like their tortilla firm and set, others prefer them soft and oozy – almost uncooked at times. For softer tortillas, flip early, after a minute or two, and often, twice on each side, until the tortilla is firm but not golden.

The post How To Make Tortilla Española first appeared on Gazette Life.

These delicious fritters are typical of Cádiz – an amazing city that is famous for its seafood and fried dishes. Chickpea flour (harina de garbanzos) can be found in supermarkets or in Indian stores under the name gram flour.

INGREDIENTS

• 200g Unpeeled prawns

• 100g Wheat flour

• 100g Chickpea flour

• 2 Cloves of garlic

• 1 cupful Fresh parsley

• 250 mls Cold water

• Salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Peel the prawns, placing the shells, heads and tails in a saucepan. Add the water and bring to the boil and simmer for three minutes to make a stock. Leave to one side to cool.

2. Sift both flours into a shallow bowl and season with salt and black pepper.

3. Chop the peeled prawns roughly. Chop the garlic and parsley finely and place in a bowl. Strain the stock and add to the bowl, then add the flour little-by-little stirring well to avoid lumps.

4. When you have a fairly thick but still fluid batter (similar to pancake batter) stir the chopped prawns in.

5. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. When a small piece of bread sizzles and browns, start making the fritters, spooning a ladleful of the batter into the oil. Fry for two to three minutes until golden, flipping the fritter with a spatula.

6. Drain on kitchen paper and keep the fritters warm under a teatowel. When all the fritters are done, serve with shredded lettuce leaves and lemon slices.

Chef’s tip: Substitute chopped cod for the prawns if you prefer. Most Spanish supermarkets sell frozen cod steaks or migas de bacalao.

The post How To Make Tortillitas de Camarones first appeared on Gazette Life.

This tasty brown loaf is Irish soul food, usually known as wheaten bread in Northern Ireland and soda bread in the Republic (the name comes from the baking powder used instead of yeast as a raising agent).

The main ingredient you’ll need to hunt down is buttermilk, which is hardly ever used in Spanish cooking. Luckily, the Germans and Dutch love it as much as the Irish and it can be found in Lidl under the name Suero de Mantequilla. Kefir or mazada are also available – they’re a little thicker, but work very well, providing that allimportant sour tang.

INGREDIENTS

• 100g plain flour

• 125g wholemeal flour

• 1 tspn baking powder (bicarbonate of soda)

• 1 level tspn salt • 1 dessertspoon sugar

• 50g butter • 200-250 ml buttermilk

• A handful of rolled oats (optional)

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (180 fan).

2. If you’re using a 1lb loaf tin, line it with greaseproof paper.

3. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl and make a well in the middle. Melt the butter and add to the well, along with most of the buttermilk (you may not need it all). Mix well with a knife or spatula until you have a fairly thick dough.

4. Put dough in baking tin and even out the top or simply shape the dough into a round loaf on a floured surface, then slash a cross in the top with a knife. Sprinkle rolled oats on the loaf to decorate and add texture.

5. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for half an hour before eating.

Chef’s Tip: This bread is hard to beat served warm from the oven with room temperature butter, but sour cream, smoked salmon and chopped chives are a particular favourite topping.

The post How To Make Irish Wheaten first appeared on Gazette Life.

Discover the deep, warming flavours of this Indian-style mutton curry, inspired by the classic rogan josh. Perfect for slow cooking, this dish highlights the rich, distinctive taste of mature mutton.

INGREDIENTS

• 750g mutton or lamb shoulder cut into chunks

• 3 tbsp ghee or flavourless oil

• 2 large onions, thinly sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 3cm chunk of ginger, finely grated

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 100ml full-fat natural yogurt

• A few sprigs of coriander

WHOLE SPICES

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 6 green cardamom pods

• 2 black cardamom pods

• 5 cloves

• 2 dried red chillies

GROUND SPICES

• 2 tsp chilli powder

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp ground coriander

• 2 tsp sweet pimentón

METHOD

1. Begin by heating the ghee or oil in a large, lidded casserole pan over a medium heat. Add the whole spices and dried chillies. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they release their fragrance.

2. Add the sliced onions and cook slowly for up to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become deeply golden and completely softened.

3. Stir through the crushed garlic and grated ginger, cooking for one further minute. Then, add all the ground spices and cook while stirring for a few minutes more, until wonderfully fragrant. Mix in the tomato purée.

4. Add the chunks of mutton shoulder to the pan. Fry the meat, turning it to coat it thoroughly in the spiced paste, for about 10 minutes.

5. Pour in 200ml of water and bring the curry to a gentle simmer. Place the lid on the pan and leave to simmer slowly for 2 hours and 30 minutes, or until the mutton is beautifully tender. Check occasionally, adding a little more water if the curry looks too dry.

6. Once the meat is tender, stir in the full-fat yogurt and simmer for a final 5 minutes. 7. To serve, finish with a scattering of chopped fresh coriander and an extra drizzle of yogurt. This hearty curry is perfect with steamed rice, warm flatbreads, and a crisp side salad.

The post How To Make Lamb Rogan Josh first appeared on Gazette Life.

Watercress is, perhaps surprisingly, a staple food on the Canary Islands. a surprise in dry Lanzarote, perhaps, but the peppery superfood has long been cultivated in the western Islands. This hearty soup is a speciality of La Gomera, and is one of the best ways to enjoy gofio.

INGREDIENTS

• One packet of watercress (berros)

• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced

• 250g of pork ribs

• 2 fresh corncobs, halved

• 250 g pumpkin or courgette, diced

• 250 g pinto beans (judias pintas)

• 100 mls white wine

• 1 green pepper

• 1 onion

• 1 tomato

• 3 garlic cloves

• Cumin, fresh coriander

• Olive oil

• At least 1.5 litres of chicken stock or water

METHOD

1. Soak the beans overnight.

2. Chop the onions and pepper finely and fry in a deep saucepan until onion is soft. Add white wine and cook for 5 minutes. Grate the tomato and add, with the cumin,

3. Add all other ingredients apart from the water cress and coriander, to the pot, cover with water or stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the watercress as finely as possible, removing only the thickest stalks. Chop the coriander.

4. Add the greens to the pot and cook for a further 10-15 minutes.

Chef ’s tip: Serve with a bowl of dry gofio on the side. Diners can spoon the broth from the soup into the gofio and stir into a delicious paste, which can then be eaten with “spoons” made from a quartered red onion.

The post How To Make Potaje de Berros first appeared on Gazette Life.

On Lanzarote there are no rules about your Christmas dinner, which is enjoyed on the evening of December the 24th. You can eat what you like, but most families will enjoy something a little special, such as a leg of lamb, or an oven-baked fish. Here’s our recipe on how to make it.

Salt-baked fish is a spectacular dish, and one that is perfect for Lanzarote, where you can buy a kilo of local sea salt for less than a Euro. This recipe adds a tangy Argentinian chimichurri sauce, but a green mojo will be every bit as good. Serve the fish with roast potatoes with garlic and rosemary.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 sea bass 1.5 kilos, unscaled and gutted.

• 2 kgs sea salt

• Egg white

• 1 lemon, sliced

FOR THE CHIMICHURRI (Finely chop all solid ingredients)

• Half a cup of fresh parsley

• 2 tbsps. fresh oregano

• 2 cloves of garlic

• Half a cup of spring onions (or cebolletas)

• A small, dried chilli pepper, deseeded

• 2 tbsps. red wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• Half a cup of olive oil

METHOD

1. Put the potatoes in boiling, lightly salted water for 10 minutes, Drain and put to one side. Stuff a lemon slice and bay leaves in the cavity of the fish.

2. Take a large baking tray and place greaseproof paper or tinfoil on the base. Add a good layer of salt. Place the fish on the bed of salt and “bury” it with the rest of the salt, leaving the tail and head sticking out. An egg white mixed with the salt will make it easier to mould. Once the fish is fully covered, mark its shape lightly in the top of the salt with a knife.

3. Heat the oven to 200 degrees C. Cook the fish for 28 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the chimichurri ingredients well.

4. Check the fish – if the eyes are white and the tail pulls away easily, it’s done. Remove the fish and allow to rest for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the crust of salt from the top of the fish (the skin should come away with it). 5. Serve garnished with lemon slices.

The post How to make salt-baked Sea Bass first appeared on Gazette Life.