Yucca Fries w. Creamy Mojo Sauce
I’ve added yucca to my list of awesome foods. The yucca root is a yam look-a-like but with a waxy exterior (I believe to preserve it longer) and super tough middle. It sort of, kind of, maybe tastes like a potato, though it’s completely different. And it’s known by like a kazillion names, including cassava (also happens to be an amazing gluten-free flour!). The first time I tried yucca fries I was in a Peruvian restaurant and A and I were being adventurous trying mole and some other dish we had never tried before. I saw “fries” on the menu and I was sold so we ordered them and I felt like I was in fry heaven. In today’s recipe, I whipped up a tangy but creamy sauce to alongside them. I had never used sour oranges before but the little item tag at the grocery store told me sour oranges make good mojo sauce for yucca fries and who am I to argue with that? I brought one home and if you follow on Snapchat, you maybe have seen the ridiculous amount of seeds that this little guy contained. Regardless, it did make a great mojo sauce, complete with my own creamy spin on the classic.
YUCCA FRIES W. CREAMY MOJO SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
1 yucca root (about 1-1.5 pounds)
4 T olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c sour cream
2 T juice from sour orange*
1-2 garlic cloves (1/2 tsp minced garlic)
1/8 tsp salt
*Can be found in the Latin American section of the supermarket. If you cannot find it, use equal parts lemon and orange juice.
DIRECTIONS
Peel yucca. Cut horizontally into 4 equal chunks (or rounds). Boil for 15 minutes. Strain water and carefully dry yucca. Slice into stripes (like fries), taking care not to break apart the yucca. Be sure to remove any of the tough strands in the middle. Toss yucca with olive oil and salt. Roast on 400F for 30 minutes total, stirring yucca after every 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, prepare sauce by combining sour cream, juice, garlic and salt. Serve with yucca fries.
I’ve never tried yucca root, but this preparation looks so good! I’m all about homemade fries, and that sauce sounds incredible!
I missed this post but I must say I’m glad yuca is becoming mainstream because it’s making it easier to find. I’ve loved yuca since I was kid. I’m Puertorican and yuca was a common food in our house. I love yuca fries but I also love it simply boiled then tossed with olive oil, adobo, homemade sofrito, minced garlic, onions and green peppers. That’s what we call “escabeche.” It’s a phenomenal side with cod fish (bacalao en escabeche). I also toss it in soups as a sub for potatoes and, believe me, the soup is 100 times more delish. It used to be hard to find yuca and, growing up in Brooklyn, we could only find it at the Puertorican bodega. But I recently found it in a larger chain supermarket on Long Island! Yay yuca!
I have never had escabeche – are there certain ratios of the garlic to onions that you use? It sounds delicious and I’m always looking for new ways to eat fish, especially cod. I did put it in a soup of sorts that I made in the pressure cooker and it gave off a hint of sweetness. So good! I only wish it wasn’t so hard to peel 🙂
Sounds delicious! I do have a question, though – why do they boil the cod? Does it taste good boiled? I rarely boil my meats/fish and am just wondering if it’s a necessary part of the recipe 🙂 Thanks so much for sending that over – I will definitely let you know what I think. Hopefully I can make it soon!
I’m not sure why it’s boiled. I guess since the escabeche “mix” is so flavorful it doesn’t matter if it’s boiled? Maybe? Also, the cod that’s usually used isn’t fresh. It’s the one that heavily salted and packaged so I think it’s supposed to be boiled. I’m not sure. But I think fresh fish would be better. Also, I remember my mom sometimes fried fish (whiting) and made it in escabeche. So I’m assuming that the cod or any fish like it could also be baked or broiled. Now I think I’m going to try it like that!
Makes sense! I know which fish I’m getting the next time I visit the Butcher Shoppe. I already have the yucca. Btw, one last question….how do you pronounce yucca? Like yewka or ‘yucka’? I had a friend say it ‘yucka’ and I thought she was wrong so I youtubed it and the mini clip pronounced it the same way. Then a guy at the supermarket yesterday told me it’s yewka. So confused! Yewka sounds the most correct since it’s close to Spanish but I don’t know!
You’re right. It’s yewca. Or more like yoo (rhymes with moo)-cah. But definitely not yucka. It’s going to be so yummy! I’m actually going to get all my ingredients for escabeche tomorrow. Can’t wait! Enjoy!
Aha! So glad to know I was right 😉 I’m excited to try this, though, with the fresh fish!