Cuba, Americas

Cuban Yuca con Mojo

Name: Cuban Yuca con Mojo
Cook time: 38 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: Cuba
Ingredients: Yuca (cassava), fresh or frozen peeled 400 g; Salt 1½ tsp; Onion, in thin rings ½; Garlic cloves 6; Orange juice 45 ml; Lime juice 25 ml; Ground cumin ½ tsp; Dried oregano ½ tsp; Olive oil 70 ml

Tender boiled yuca drenched in sizzling-hot mojo of garlic, orange and lime: the classic Cuban home side dish.

ServingsServes 2

Total cooking time38 min

DifficultyEasy

About servingsYuca (cassava) must always be peeled and cooked right through. Never eat it raw or undercooked.

Method

Cut the yuca into 6–8 cm lengths. Slit the skin lengthwise with the tip of a knife and peel off the thick brown bark together with the pinkish layer under it, leaving only the white flesh. Halve each piece lengthwise. Frozen peeled yuca can be used as it is.
Put the yuca in a 20 cm pot, cover with cold water by 3 cm and add the salt. Bring to the boil on high heat, then lower to medium heat and simmer for . It is done when a fork slides in easily and the surface turns slightly translucent and starts to split. If any part is still hard, cook a few minutes more.
Add in this stepYuca (cassava), fresh or frozen peeled 400 gSalt 1 tsp
high heat→medium heat
While it cooks, make the mojo: crush the garlic with the salt in a mortar, or mince it very finely, into a paste. Stir in the orange juice, lime juice, cumin and oregano.
Add in this stepGarlic cloves 6Salt ½ tspOrange juice 45 mlLime juice 25 mlGround cumin ½ tspDried oregano ½ tsp
Drain the yuca and pull out the tough, stringy core from the centre of each piece. Arrange it on a warm platter and scatter the onion rings over the top.
Add in this stepOnion, in thin rings ½
Heat the olive oil in a small 16 cm pan on medium heat for , until it shimmers but does not smoke. Turn off the heat and carefully add the garlic and citrus mixture; it will spit hard, so keep your face and hands back. Stir once and immediately pour it evenly over the yuca and onions.
Add in this stepOlive oil 70 ml
medium heat
Leave it for so the yuca soaks up the mojo and the onions soften slightly, then serve warm.

Cook's tip

In Cuba the mojo is made with sour orange (naranja agria) juice; 2 parts orange juice to 1 part lime juice is a close match. The woody core slips out easily once cooked, so always remove it. Serve with roast pork, white rice and black beans.

Cooking it at camp

Peel and cut the yuca at home, or pack frozen peeled yuca in the cooler. Boil it in a large pot on the burner and make the mojo by heating the oil in a small pan or a metal camp cup. Watch out for spitting oil.