Some people find that when the weather is hot they don’t want to eat much and I can be that way too. Sometimes I just fancy some tapas for lunch or dinner and I find that’s enough – other times I can be a real pig but can’t we all!! 🙂 Tapas are little snack-like nibbles and if you want to try Canarian cooking in the form of tapas you can order several different ones and share with whoever you’re with. Make sure you order a “tapa” and not a “ración” which is a double sized tapa.
If you like meat, try carne con papas, which is a potato, beef and vegetable stew, or ropa vieja which is meat or chicken with chickpeas. Canarian meatballs are known as albondigas and they are gorgeous. Carne de cabra is goat and it is a bit like lamb. Slow-cooked goat is one  of the best examples of Canarian cooking. It is so juicy and rich. Carne de chochino is little bits of diced, fried pork with a nice sauce.
For fish and seafood lovers, try boquerones which are little white fish marinated in oil, garlic and vinegar or salpicon de mariscos, a combination of crab, prawns, onion and more in a bell pepper and vinegar based sauce. This is especially refreshing. Gambas al ajillo is prawns sauteed in garlic oil and it is one of my favourites.
Photo by Jlastras
If you are a vegetarian you will enjoy potage which is a thick soup made with locally grown vegetables or you can try some Canarian cheeses. Pimientos de padrón are good and these are sauteed green peppers. There seems to be one spicy one in every batch!
You can also get jamon serrano and queso which is a plate of cured ham and cheese. Try queso de cabra (goat’s milk cheese) or queso de flor (a locally produced cheese made with both sheep’s and goat’s milk, as well as thistles).