The sancocho as it is known today in the Canary Islands sticks to basic ingredients such as cherne or cod, potatoes, mojo, and gofio dumpling. However, it is somewhat different from the ancestral dish of the Archipelago. The history of the Canarian sancocho is more varied. It includes octopus, cuttlefish, chestnuts, or ribs. Although they may seem like culinary creations from high-end restaurants, they are not. On the contrary, they are still present in the Canarian popular recipe book and are eaten with a spoon.
These are some of the conclusions reached by the gastronomic artisan and preserver of Canarian ancestral recipes, Ms. Luisa, Santiago Gorrín, from his workshop El Guachinche, a restaurant in Agüimes that won the first Solete Guía Repsol award for the Best Sancocho of the Year in 2023, among the 12 with which he emerged as a leader in the same contest since 2018. Among other variations, black pig, snail, potatoes, gofio dumpling, or jam. This restaurant serves these Canarian sancochos on the menu, with a starter of snails that were declared as fish and not meat by a papal encyclical to be able to be savored during Lent.
From Octopus to Chestnuts
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“The sancocho is a lightly cooked or unbound stew and Canarian gastronomy is so extensive that there are many varied sancochos that do not contain cherne,” explains the chef, who emphasizes that the typical Canarian sancocho “is eaten with a spoon because it is not dry.”
Santiago Gorrín in full production at his restaurant El Guachinche in Agüimes, this Thursday. / La Provincia
According to his research, sancochos are stews that are still present in the islands. In many households and even in his restaurant. Gorrín gives examples such as “the chestnut one, from Tenerife, as well as from Arico and Acentejo, chestnut areas on the island. They have the same ingredients, but they are completely different in appearance and taste. The octopus one also continues in Tenerife’s households,” he clarifies.
On the island of El Hierro, the broad bean sancocho is peculiar, while in Fuerteventura it is typical to cook it with ribs and pineapple, according to the recipes compiled in his studies by the restorer.
However, Gorrín also explains that the popular cherne sancocho nowadays is “an example of Canarian cultures. It includes sweet potato and potato from America, which replaced taro or yam. The red mojo, Moorish heritage, and the green mojo, Genoese legacy, the gofio from the aborigines and the cherne, an ancestral consumption and typical of the grouper for the slaves bought from the Portuguese.”
The Dumpling Speaks of Sancocho
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There are also various recipes used to make the gofio dumplings for the salted fish sancocho. Gorrín explains that “depending on how a gofio dumpling is made, you can tell where the sancocho comes from. If it contains banana, it is from Gran Canaria and is found in the Southeast. If it incorporates broth, it is from the midlands of northwest Gran Canaria, like Caideros.”
Outside this island, he points out that “if the dumpling contains cheese and fruit, it is from El Hierro. Now, if the dumpling has lemon and sugar, it is clearly from the north of Tenerife.” This is also confirmed in his almost 30 publications as a gastronomic artisan.
Typical saint stew from Agüimes this Good Friday. / La Provincia
Regarding other typical delicacies for Holy Week, the focus is on the desserts or sweeter treats. These include sweet potato trout in Ingenio, highly demanded, but actually derived from the Portuguese trouxa, or filled pockets. Frangollo, torrijas, leche asada, flour pancakes, fried doughnuts, or orange doughnuts are very typical during this period and are part of the islands’ recipe book.
Agüimes’ Saint’s Potage
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The saint’s potage of Agüimes is “the typical dish for Holy Week vigils,” specifies the researcher.
However, he explains that it has many peculiarities. “It is not for the vigil from Saturday to Sunday, but for this Friday vigil.”
Regarding other potages, “this one is made with pumpkin, chickpeas, cloves, and sugar.” He adds that “the clove and sugar were a display of wealth that was within reach of a few. Cloves were a spice for the rich and led to the war between Spain and Portugal to control its trade.”
