Yuca al Mojo de Ajo

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I know that Yuca al Mojo de Ajo is popular in both the Dominican Republic and Cuba. I could have spent more time researching where more is served, and the different versions that almost certainly exist, but as I have written about cassava before, I decided to turn the look to another ingredient that defines the Latin flavors: garlic.

Yes, garlic is one of the flavors that define our cuisine, which is why the pylon is one of the symbols of our gastronomic culture. We love the garlic, and use it on a lot of salty dishes. I also know that we are not alone in our love of garlic.

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Humans have eaten garlic for about 7000 years , both as an ingredient and as part of the traditional pharmacopoeia of various civilizations.

"Garlic has powers to save from death, but you will have to endure the terrible breath." - Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum

Garlic was first domesticated in China from a wild variety of Allium sativum . There are currently two subspecies of garlic and hundreds of different types of garlic. China is by far the world's leading producer of garlic. In the Dominican Republic it is cultivated in Constanza, a region that, due to its low temperatures, lends itself to it.

We owe our garlic love to our Iberian ancestors. In fact, if we divide the world by its use of garlic, Latin America is definitely among those who love "white gold". Countries where garlic is not part of traditional cooking include northern Europe, parts of Africa and Asia (although this is changing ) and the use of garlic is spreading even further.

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Let's talk a bit about the anatomy of the garlic: A small piece of garlic as it leaves the bush (it is a bulb, part of the root) is called "head", each individual part wrapped in a paper-like film is called "tooth ".

Garlic should not be cooked at high temperatures as it becomes bitter, take this into account when making marinades for barbecues and grills.

The aroma and flavor of the garlic also changes according to the time that has passed since the harvest. The older the garlic has a stronger taste and smell, and eventually grows a green stalk in the center of the tooth that many people do not like. If that happens, remove the green part and use the rest of the tooth. Garlic can be used with the whole head (roasted at low temperatures), and you can chop or grind your teeth, depending on the effect you are looking for ..

Yuca al Mojo de Ajo - Recipe and Video

Preparation

10 mins

Cooking

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

A humble dish that we find in any parador of road in Dominican Republic, and that combines the delicate flavor of the cassava with the strong flavor of the sauce of garlic.

Type: Dinner

Cuisines: Dominican, Latin

Serves : 4 people

Calories : 658 kcal

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb [1.1 kg] of cassava, peeled, cut and washed
• 1.5 tablespoons of salt
• 6 cups [1.5 liters] of water

Ingredients for the Mojo de Ajo

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 head [50g] minced garlic
• 6 tablespoons [12g] fresh chopped parsley
• 6 tablespoons sour orange juice, or lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon [3 g] salt (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon [1.1g] freshly ground pepper (or more, to taste)

Instructions

How to boil cassava

1. Place the cassava in a medium saucepan, add water and salt. Boil on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until cassava is tender (try with a fork). Remove the cassava from the water.

How to make garlic mojo

1. While the cassava boils, heat the oil to low heat in a small skillet. Add the garlic and stir. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. Add the parsley, sour orange juice (or lemon), salt and pepper to the garlic. Mixture. Try and season with more salt and pepper if you prefer.
3. Serve with hot cassava. It is perfect to accompany sausage or Chicharrón