Cheese-Stuffed Yuca Croquettes with Salsa Roja Dip

Method

1. Cut the yuca into 6–8 cm sections, remove the brown bark and pink layer and cut into large chunks. Put it in a 20 cm pot, cover with cold water by 3 cm, add the salt, bring to the boil on high heat, then lower to medium heat and simmer for 25 min. Because it will be mashed, cook it softer than for fries, until it breaks apart when pressed with a fork.

   Add in this stepYuca (cassava), fresh or frozen 500 gSalt (for the cooking water) 2 tsp

   high heat→medium heat

2. Drain, pull out the cores while hot, add the butter and mash until smooth with a potato masher or fork. Season with pepper and let it cool for 15 min, until you can handle it. As yuca cools it turns pleasantly sticky, which makes shaping easy.

   Add in this stepButter 15 gBlack pepper to taste

3. Cut the mozzarella into 1.5 cm cubes. With lightly wet hands, take a golf-ball-sized piece of yuca (about 40 g), flatten it, put a cube of cheese in the middle and wrap it completely, then roll into a ball. Chill on a tray for 15 min so they don't burst in the oil.

   Add in this stepMozzarella (block) 80 g

4. Put the flour, well-beaten egg and panko in three separate plates and coat each croquette carefully: flour, then egg, then panko. Any gap lets the cheese escape, so press the crumbs on firmly.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 3 tbspEggs 1Panko breadcrumbs 50 g

5. Dip: blend the tomatoes and garlic until smooth, put them in a 14 cm saucepan with the oil and simmer on medium heat for 8 min, stirring, until thick. Season with salt and let it cool.

   Add in this stepRipe tomatoes 2Garlic cloves 1Vegetable oil (for the dip) 1 tspSalt (to season the dip) to taste

   medium heat

6. Heat 4–5 cm of oil in a deep pot on medium heat to 175 °C. Lower the croquettes in gently and fry in 2 batches, 3 min 30 sec per batch, rolling them around until deep golden. Overcrowding drops the temperature and makes them burst. Stay by the pot and lift them onto a rack to drain.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil for frying 700 ml

   medium heat

7. Pile the croquettes on a plate, sprinkle with coriander and serve with the tomato dip. The cheese inside is extremely hot, so let them cool for 1–2 minutes.

   Add in this stepFresh coriander, chopped 2 tbsp