Papas Arrugas; Wrinkled Potatoes

Was just down in the Canary Islands for a week. The local potato dish is the tradicional recipe for small new potatoes cooked in a lot of salt water and that come out with wrinkled skin. Very fast and easy.

Best served with the traditional red paprika sauce (slightly hot).

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 Kg baby potatoes (new, yukon gold maybe)
• 1/3 C sea salt (don't be shy about it; use a 1/2 cup)

optional:

• lemon slices
• 1 cole leaf

Instructions

1. Put potatoes in a single layer in a wide pot.Add water to half way up the potatoes (not quite covering the smallest ones).
2. Add the sea salt (swirl around a little) (the traditional method used sea water; it was, after all, developed on an island)
   
3. Add 4-5 slices of lemon if you've got them
4. Bring the water to a boil and cover the pot with a tea towel (or a cole leaf to be traditional)
5. Reduce heat to medium (still boiling slightly, not just simmering), and cook until done (the water will evaporate a lot)
   - "Done" is when a fork can pierce them and pull out without picking up the potato {don't use a knife; it's not as accurate as a fork}
   «maybe 15 minutes»
6. - the skins will begin to"wrinkle" some; and will wrinkle more afer the next steps.
7. Drain by pouring the excess water out of the pot (don't use a colander; you want the residual salt in the bottom)
8. Turn off the fire (if using electric; else set to lowest possible heat), put the pot back on and dry the potatoes
9. Shake, swirl the pot every once in a while (30 secs?) to coat the potatoes with salt evenly
10. Serve with Mojo Picón (red sauce), eat with or without skins

Those freaked about the amount of salt involved can

1. use the minimum amount of salt
2. drain with a colander
3. peel the skin off before eating (it peels easily because it's been wrinkled)

The mojo recipe will come later. It's blindingly simple too.