The first Mojo I learned about was this – the Cuban Mojo you eat with yucca* or with black beans and rice. The now famous drink in the diminutive, Mojito, has been an acquired taste in the last few years… This Cuban Mojo over Yucca is a staple at ANY and EVERY Cuban household, and something my family in Miami always makes for me, especially now that I am vegetarian. -Alia
Cuban Mojo is delicious – the best “sauce” to pour over anything. To me, it’s just glorious. It’s the only decent accompaniment to eat with boiled yucca. Once you learn how to make it, I am sure it will find its way pairing a lot more than just yucca. I am almost sure this mojo is the culprit of why I need to squirt lemon juice on arroz moro (black beans and rice).
Try it today… you’ll be a convert immediately!!!
YUCA CON MOJO CUBANO
1 yucca root, peeled and cut and middle thread removed or a few pieces of frozen yucca ½ cup of extra-virgin olive oil ½ onion, sliced thinly 3 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated The juice of 1 lime or limón criollo Salt to taste, for the boiling water and for the mojo
- In a medium pot with water, add the yucca root pieces and salt and bring to a boil. Salt the water as if you were boiling pasta. Water should only barely cover the yucca. I am lazy, so I buy sometimes the frozen yucca kind. It works very well and it always turns out soft when boiled. Yucca can have a tendency to turn out hard; it’s a crap-shoot.
- While the yucca boils away, in a small saucepan over low heat add the olive oil, the onion and the garlic. Let the onions and garlic soften and simmer slowly in the oil. Add salt to taste. I tend to season well, about ½ Tbs. (7,5 ml) but I have to be honest, I do not measure.
- When the onions are softened, the garlic is cooked, but none have gotten any color, turn off the heat and add the juice of the lemon. The oil will cloud a bit, but that’s the measure of a true mojo… lemony tangy goodness with the punch of the garlic and onion… YUMMM!!!
- When the yucca is fork tender, drain and serve with spoonfuls of mojo over it.
*Yucca is native food of the islanders.
