John Myers
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- 800 g cassava (manioc/yuca), peeled, cooked and quartered lengthwise
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 onion(s), finely chopped
- 2 orange(s) (bitter oranges), the juice OR:
- 1 orange(s), juice and
- 2 lemons, juice
- 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Working time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes
Cassava / manioc with citrus and garlic dressing – a completely different snack
Vacationers in Spain are usually familiar with mojo on small, wrinkled potatoes. In Cuba and the rest of the Caribbean, however, mojo is often served with boiled cassava roots. Depending on whether you’re in the Spanish-speaking or English-speaking Caribbean, the snack is called “Yuca con Mojo” or “Cassava with Mojo” or “Garlic-Citrus Salsa.” Boil the peeled cassava roots in salted water for 20-25 minutes. They should be soft, but not floury. Meanwhile, mash three garlic cloves, finely chop a medium onion, and—if available—juice two “Naranjas agrias.” Bitter oranges are best for this dressing. Alternatively, juice one orange and two lemons. Add the parsley, salt, and pepper and mix everything together. Finally, whisk the mojo sauce with four tablespoons of olive oil until smooth. If you’re new to cassava, you can combine the pleasant with the useful. Take a cassava root from the pot, cut off a piece, and dip it in the mojo dressing. This will give you an idea of what it tastes like and whether the cassava is already cooked. Drain the water from the cooked cassava roots and quarter the roots lengthwise. The often stringy, woody center of the cassava root can be easily removed with a lengthwise cut along the middle edge. Cut the root quarters into bite-sized pieces, immediately pour the dressing over them, and serve. If cassava isn’t available, you can also conduct an initial mojo test with cooked pumpkin cubes or sweet potatoes. Music recommendation after a successful cooking session: Muddy Waters’ “Got My Mojo Working.”
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