Yuca Frita con Mojo

Yuca frita is the french fry’s hipper, Spanish-speaking cousin. The root vegetable is cut into the size of steak fries, boiled, fried and then dipped in a fresh, garlic heavy condiment: mojo. Those new to yuca might be intimidated by the textures at first, but a few more bites will guarantee this will be your new favorite side.

SERVES | 4 |

YUCA FRITA

2 lbsyuca,frozenorfresh,peeled

6 cupswater,ormoreasneeded

2 Tbspkoshersalt,plusmoretotaste

1 cupvegetableoil

MOJO

8 garliccloves,peeled

1 cupcilantro,stemsandleaves

½ cupparsley,stemsandleaves

¼ cupredwinevinegar

½ cuplimejuice,freshlysqueezed ¼ cupoliveoil

1 tspsalt

/ preparation – yuca frita / Place the yuca in a medium pot, cover with water, and season with salt. Turn the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Cook until the yuca is soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, and set aside to cool. Once cooled, slice the yuca into wedges. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fry the yuca in batches, without overcrowding the pan, turning each piece until all sides are crispy brown. Remove from the oil, and transfer to a paper towel-lined platter, salting immediately. Repeat until all of the yuca is fried. Serve hot with mojo.

/ preparation – mojo / Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and bright green.