Yuca Sancochada con Mojo de Ajo Veracruzano

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 5-quart pot for boiling the yuca
• •Sharp knife or sturdy peeler for removing the yuca skin
• •Wide clay cazuela or heavy skillet for the mojo
• •Wooden spoon for turning the yuca without breaking it

Instructions

1. 1

   Trim the yuca

   Cut off the ends of the yuca. Peel away the brown bark and the pink layer underneath. You want clean white flesh. If you see gray streaks, black lines, or a sour smell, throw that piece away. Raw yuca is not for tasting. It needs full cooking. Preguntale a las senoras del mercado and they will tell you the same thing.

2. 2

   Sancocha the root

   Put the yuca in a heavy pot with the water, kosher salt, white onion, and bay leaves. Bring to a steady boil, then lower to a strong simmer. Cook 25 to 35 minutes, until the edges split open and a knife slides through without resistance. Do not cook it al dente. Yuca should surrender, not fight your teeth.

   Frozen peeled yuca is acceptable when the fresh yuca is tired. Start checking frozen yuca at 15 minutes because it often softens faster.
3. 3

   Drain and core

   Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the yuca. Discard the onion and bay leaves. While the pieces are still warm, split them open and pull out the tough fibrous core from the center. Keep the yuca covered so it stays tender while you make the mojo.

4. 4

   Color the oil

   Set a wide clay cazuela or heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and achiote seeds. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the oil turns brick red and smells earthy. Spoon out and discard the seeds. The achiote gives color and coastal Veracruz character. Do not burn it.

5. 5

   Cook the garlic

   Add the sliced garlic to the achiote oil. Add the whole chile de arbol if using. Cook slowly, stirring often, until the garlic turns pale gold, 3 to 5 minutes. Not brown. Brown garlic is bitter garlic, and bitter garlic will bully the whole cazuela.

   The chile de arbol is for a little background bite, not for making the dish hot. This is a garlic dish first. Not every Mexican plate is built around chile.
6. 6

   Sharpen the mojo

   Carefully pour in the vinagre de cana. It will jump when it hits the oil. Stir in the Mexican oregano, black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer for 1 minute, just long enough for the vinegar to lose its raw edge. If the mojo looks too tight, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the reserved yuca water.

7. 7

   Dress the yuca

   Add the warm yuca to the cazuela and turn it gently through the mojo. Use a spoon to bathe the split edges with the garlic oil. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the yuca drinks in the oil and vinegar without falling apart. Do not mash it. This is yuca sancochada, not puree. Asi se hace y punto.

8. 8

   Serve Veracruz style

   Spoon the yuca into a red barro cazuela or carry the cooking cazuela straight to the table. Scrape every slice of garlic over the top. Serve with lime halves, fried mojarra or robalo, black beans, and warm corn tortillas. No cheese, no crema, no decoration pretending to be tradition. Cada estado, su propia cocina.

Chef Tips

• •Buy yuca that feels heavy and firm, with white flesh once cut. If the fresh yuca at the market has gray streaks or a tired smell, buy frozen peeled yuca from a Latin market. That is market sense, not laziness. Bad fresh yuca is worse than good frozen yuca.
• •Use olive oil here. Veracruz is a port kitchen, and aceite de oliva is part of its history. Do not reach for neutral vegetable oil just because it is nearby. On the Costa Chica, coconut oil has its own place. In this jarocho register, the fat is olive oil with garlic, achiote, and vinegar.
• •Keep the garlic pale gold. Once it turns dark, the whole mojo goes bitter. No me vengas con atajos. Low heat and patience are cheaper than throwing out ten cloves of garlic.
• •Vinagre de cana gives the cleanest Veracruz bite. If you cannot find it, apple cider vinegar is the nearest compromise. A substitution is a compromise, not an upgrade.
• •Serve this with fried mojarra, robalo, or black beans from a clay cazuela. It also belongs next to plantain and rice when you want the full coastal table.

Advance Preparation

• •The yuca can be peeled and cut up to 24 hours ahead. Keep it submerged in cold water in the refrigerator so it does not oxidize.
• •The mojo can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm it gently before adding the yuca so the garlic does not darken.
• •Boiled yuca is best the day it is cooked, but leftovers can be reheated in a covered cazuela with a spoonful of water and a little extra olive oil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 310g)