To the rich trout!

Many types of sweet potatoes are grown in Anaga, such as rajadilla, barbacoa, yema de huevo, malagueña matujillo, palmera, vinagrerilla, venezolana, tostonera, catalina or conejera, guinea azafranada or cubanita, among others. This is due to the great biodiversity of cultivation offered by this ancient massif. These deep ravines and steep mountains have conditioned the way in which the farmers have carried out the exploitation of resources, giving rise to a rich gastronomic heritage. The climatic factors of the Canary Islands make our agriculture as rich as it is varied, and we can confirm this by tasting this rich tuber.

The sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas) is native to the South American tropics and its cultivation was widespread in the West Indies. It is grown in sandy soils in many warm regions around the world. Its root is the edible part and can reach a length of 30 cm. Its color varies from yellow to violet red or purple. It is one of the healthiest vegetables we can find, as it provides large amounts of vitamins, fiber and minerals. In addition, its energy value is higher than that of potatoes, generating a feeling of satiety and helping to reduce cholesterol levels.

The presence of the sweet potato in the Archipelago is evident since the sixteenth century, although in Tenerife its cultivation began later. On this island, it is known that there are, or have been, more than fifty different local varieties, of which more than twenty have been observed to be grown (or have been grown) in Anaga. Some varieties are disappearing, which has been noticed in the last twenty years, which is why it is necessary to implement actions that favor the conservation and recovery of the sweet potato. And that consumers are aware of the value of the product they are buying!

Many of these lost varieties correspond to old sweet potatoes from Tenerife. Planting is not an excessively complicated process, if you have patience and advice from those who know best: “The branches (cuttings) are planted once the furrows have been made, inclined. They are watered twice a month, although it depends on the soil and the area, and are harvested after about five months taking care not to break them when digging. They are planted in February-March and normally harvested in December and January,” an experienced farmer told us.

The sweet potato is very present in the Canarian gastronomy, as it is used as a starter, to accompany main dishes such as fish or meat and it is also the star of several of the Canarian desserts… who has never tasted a sweet potato trout? For those who don’t, and for those who crave it, here is the recipe:

Ingredients for the dough: a glass of dry white wine (200 ml), a glass of sunflower or mild olive oil (200 ml), 450 gr. of flour and sugar.

Preparation: pour the wine, oil and flour into a bowl, mix and knead until the dough is homogeneous. Form a ball, cover it with a cloth and let it rest for half an hour, the sugar is for sprinkling once it is fried.

Ingredients for the sweet potato filling: half a kilo of sweet potato, 100 gr. of granulated sugar, the zest of 1 lemon, 20 gr. of almonds and half a glass of water.

Preparation: cook the peeled sweet potato and then mash it. Add the water and sugar to the puree, add the lemon zest. Toast the almonds and add them to the mixture and let stand.

Assembly of the trout: roll out the dough and cut out circles of the desired size, fill them with dough and once closed, fry them in plenty of oil. When they are cold, sprinkle with sugar. And enjoy!