Fuerteventura a mix of cultures, traditions and flavors

Fuerteventura a mix of cultures, traditions and flavors, is part of the Canary Islands in Spain with a uniquely exotic landscape. 

We wonder what the local culinary traditions of Fuerteventura are?

This paradise of turquoise waters and white or volcanic sand that shimmers in the sun in a thousand colors, the palm trees, the windmills, the white houses will make you fall in love.

All this makes you think of a cuisine based on tropical fruits, but no.

Fuerteventura gastronomy offers a mix of Spanish, Italian, South American, African influences  and ancient local cuisine.

This mix of cultures, traditions, and flavors in Fuerteventura makes traditional Majorera cuisine very unique in its tastes and colors.

The guarantee of a very generous sea and the locals’ ability to “make do” have meant that Fuerteventura’s culinary tradition is full of very pleasant surprises.

Fuerteventura’s traditional cuisine captivates everyone with its simple, humble yet authentic and delicious flavors, made with fresh produce from the island’s land and sea.

 

 

What do people eat in Fuerteventura?

Everyone, who visit Fuerteventura wonts to taste the island’s typical dishes, as well as knowing what to see in Fuerteventura and what to do.

The best beaches of Corralejo, El Cotillo beaches, or the magic beaches of the south of Fuerteventura are litte pieces of paradise, that enchants everybody.

Hidden gems, secret places, ancient volcanoes, windmills and authentic fisshing villages are everything that Fuerteventura offers.

But the gastronomy of Fuerteventura it’s no less.

Mojo

It is an olive oil-based sauce, which is also used to enhance vegetable and cheese dishes.

Green mojo, made with parsley and coriander, used for fish

Mojo rojo or picón, made with garlic and red chili pepper, used for meat dishes.

The gofio

Gofio is a food obtained by grinding toasted cereals.

It is used in many dishes: for breakfast with milk, with fish or vegetable broth, fish soups, meat, vegetables and legumes.

Gofio escaldado, a fish broth with gofio, is served with sautéed garlic and red onion.

The fish

Fuerteventura, a mix of cultures, traditions and flavours, has managed to maintain a high culinary standard and is essentially based on fresh fish such as:

• parrot fish
• tuna
• grouper
• same
• salema and many molluscs.

Fish specialties:

• tollos (sun-dried sharks preserved in salt)
• el pescado encebollado (fish with tomato and onion sauce)
• l’atún encebollado con batata (tuna with onion and potato sauce)
• el embarrado de atún fresco (marinated fresh tuna)
• el salpicón de pescado (fish and vegetable salad)
• churros de pescado (fish-filled fritters).

The meat

In Fuerteventura, the islanders’ favorite and best-cooked meats are goat, rabbit, pork, and chicken.

Meat specialties:

• Croquetas (croquettes)
• for asada (roast ham)
• Canarian chorizo ​​(sausage)
• carajcas (liver fillets marinated with garlic, wine, vinegar, and various spices)
• puchero canario (goat stew with bacon, sausage, various ribs, and legumes and vegetables)
• para asada (roasted pork leg served with potatoes)
• rancho canario (pork with chickpeas, potatoes, onion, garlic, other spices and spaghetti).

Cheeses

The island of Fuerteventura produced Majorero Cheese, a goat’s cheese very famous throughout Europe.

The most popular is fried cheese, served with typical Fuerteventura honey and mojo verde or mojo rojo.

Equally delicious is the Fried Majorero cheese covered in sugar.

 

What are some typical dishes from Fuerteventura?

• Wrinkled papas with mojo picón

This is the most famous dish of Fuerteventura and all the Canary Islands.

They are small, round potatoes that are cooked with their skins on and then served in a crockpot accompanied by mojo rojo and mojo verde.

• Goat stew

This is a typical peasant dish, where the addition of wine and spices gives it a soft and rounded flavor.

Goat meat must be well treated to mitigate its very strong gamey flavor, but in Fuerteventura you will discover a very tasty dish.

• Majorero Cheese

In Fuerteventura there are a variety of goat cheeses, fresh, aged, added with paprika or other spices, smoked.

The Majorero cheese is the most famous not only in Fuerteventura but also in Europe.

• Sancocho canario and gofio

Sancocho means boiled, and is a stew that is generally made with salted Sama.

Potatoes, onion, sweet potato are added and it is accompanied by mojo and traditional gofio.

 

Typical sweets of Fuerteventura

• Quesillo (made with milk, condensed milk and eggs)
• truchas (fried sweet rolls filled with sweet potatoes and pumpkin)
• Prince Albert (similar to tiramisu and made with chocolate, almonds, cream and hazelnuts)
• frangollo (milk-based dessert, corn flour)
• huevos moles (mousse made from eggs, water, sugar, and cinnamon).

But on the podium of the typical sweets of Fuerteventura is maripepa (made with amaretto, biscuits, cinnamon, dark chocolate, vanilla cream, milk, chocolate liqueur, sugar, cream, egg yolks).

And of course, there’s no shortage of good wine, imported from nearby Lanzarote, which boasts unique vineyards thanks to its unique ecosystem.

 

But what are the tastes, habits and timetables of the Canarians?

Breakfast (desayuno) is served until 11am and is particularly salty.

Paninis, sandwiches, tortillas, churros with hot chocolate, toast with jam or fresh tomato, juice, and coffee.

The Canarians’ favorite coffee is cortado (coffee with milk) and leche y leche (condensed milk on the bottom, then coffee and then hot milk).

Lunch (almuerzo) is from 2pm to 4pm, while dinner (cena) is until 10pm.

The classic is to start with a soup or salad (entrantes), followed by the main course, which can be meat or fish, accompanied by side dishes of vegetables and legumes.

There is no aperitif, but it can be replaced with exquisite tapas, called “merienda”.

Displayed in special display fridges in bars and clubs at any time and with a wide range of typical local products.

Other things to know:

• Tips, which in Fuerteventura are customary to leave at bars and restaurants.
• Be safe when overtaking, as fines for this are very high in Fuerteventura.
• Don’t waste water, as there isn’t any on the island.
• There is a plant where sea water is desalinated.
• It is not advisable to drink tap water
• Don’t pollute. This earthly paradise, where air pollution is almost nonexistent, must be respected. 
• Be careful of the sun. Always wear sunscreen even if it’s cloudy, because being closer to the equator makes the sun’s rays more direct.

From hand-crafted ceramic plates, statuettes representing symbolic places on this island, traditional straw hats, and magnets.

But also ron miel (their palm honey) and aloe Vera (juices, creams, gels).