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Side Dish
Cuban
4 - 6 servings
30 minutes
20 minutes
Also known as Cassava, Yuca is a favorite vegetable among Cubans. This native American tuber was widely cultivated by the indigenous populations. Mojo Agrio, also known as Mojo Criollo and Mojo (pronounced Mo-ho), is a simple-to-prepare dressing for pouring over boiled yuca and other vegetables.
1 1/2 pounds yuca root, peeled and boiled
1 medium organic yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves organic garlic, crushed and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1 organic lime (juice) or 1/2 sour orange (juice)
Using a kitchen mallet or heavy knife handle, lightly crush the garlic cloves and then peel them. Chop up the crushed garlic.
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic for 1 minute. Add the lime juice or sour orange juice and sauté for another 15 seconds. Do not clean the pan for the Yuca con Mojo.
Pour while still hot over boiled yuca or other cooked vegetables.
Prepare fresh yuca by peeling and removing the outer bark-like skin using a sharp paring knife, and then cutting the yuca into large cubes.
Place in boiling, salted water.
The yuca is done when the pieces appear translucent-like in color and no solid blotches of white remain.
The yuca should be tender and easily break apart when pierced with a fork.
After cooking, drain well and remove the strand-like pieces of fiber from the center of the yuca pieces. Transfer the yuca to a serving dish.
Sweat the onion slices by briefly sautéing them in the oil used for the Mojo Agrio, but only long enough so that the onions become slightly limp and not translucent.
Top yuca with the onion slices and proceed with preparing the Mojo Agrio.
Pour the Mojo Agrio over the yuca and onions, and serve hot.
To learn how to peel yuca, read our Cooking Tip Yuca Root, Peel.
