What’s Eaten Where: Galápagos

When Darwin visited the Galápagos archipelago in the mid-1800s, the islands teemed with animal life. Fortunately, this unique flora and fauna has – for the most part – remained: protective legislation has been in place for almost a century, and the islands now form part of a 70,000 square kilometre marine reserve, which means the islands’ astonishing biodiversity includes species seen nowhere else on the planet…

This includes the Giant Tortoise for which the islands are named – Insulae de los Galopegos meaning ‘Islands of the Tortoises’ in the local language.

The islands’ population stands at roughly 25,000, most of whom are the descendants of Ecuadorian Mestizos who don’t eat the local wildlife but rather rely on a diet influenced by coastal Ecuadorian cuisine: a menu that highlights seafood…

Whats Eaten Where2Encebollado is the islands’ semi-official dish. A fish stew served with boiled cassava and pickled red onion rings, it’s often made with albacore, billfish, bonito or tuna and enjoyed with a side of yucca and chillies, or served with plantain, banana chips, or even popcorn! Ceviche is another popular food imported from the mainland, based on raw fish cured in citrus juice. Here in the Galápagos, sea bass is the most commonly-used ingredient, though octopus, squid, shrimp, black clam, oysters, or barnacles might pop up.

Sea cucumbers are a traditional treat; believed to be an aphrodisiac, this unappetising-looking dish is actually packed with taste, especially when the main ingredient is braised or fried and served with a side of stew or fruit. And arroz marinero is another ocean-based choice: a seafood rice dish similar to paella, it’s made with long-grain rice in a seafood broth that might include shrimp, clams, squid and scallops with onions, peas, and peppers.

Of course it’s not all seafood – land-based cuisine also makes it onto the menu, in the form of hornado (whole-roasted pig), arroz con menestra (a lentil stew often served with roast pork and a side of avocado), and patacones (fried green plantains).

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