Posts Tagged ‘Latin’
Yucca is a starchy root vegetable often used in the Carribean. It has a tough fibrous skin that is more easily removed after boiled. These fries go well with a a mixture 4 parts mayo to 1 part each of ketchup, sriracha, and fresh garlic.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds yucca (about 3)
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- Fine sea salt
Directions:
- Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add yucca. Cook for about 30 minutes or until a knife goes through yucca easily. Let cool.
- When cool enough to handle, peel off yucca skin. Cut in half. Take out tough fibrous inner root (it should come off as a long thick string). Cut into wedges. Let dry on counter top for at least 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile heat oil to 350 degrees Fahreheit. Fry yuccas in batches until golden brown on the outside, about 5-6 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Enjoy with dipping sauce (see above)!
Mojo is a staple Cuban citrus-garlic condiment. It is sometimes used as a meat marinade, but here I thought it would work well to brighten the flavor of the butternut squash. Don’t walk away when toasting the pine nuts, as they are quite easy to burn. A few minutes over medium low heat under close watch should do. Also be sure to choose sweet ripe oranges for this preparation and adjust sweetening accordingly.
Ingredients:
- 2.5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 scallion bunch, chopped
- 4 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 chile de arbol or to taste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons raw demerara cane sugar (depending on sweetness of orange)
- 2 teaspoons honey (same note as above)
- 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
- ½ cup pine nuts, toasted
Directions:
- Heat oil over medium heat. Saute scallions for 1 minute. Add butternut squash and sauté for another minute. Add garlic, salt, pepper, chile (crack open to release heat as desirable), and oregano (crush between palms to fully release flavor). Cook over medium low heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add orange juice to deglaze pan. Add raw sugar to taste and half cup of water. Bring to a boil and then let simmer covered for about 45 minutes or until squash is fork tender. Add one half cup of water in intervals as needed if mixture gets dry and stir every 10 minutes.
- Stir in honey, orange zest, parsley, and pine nuts off heat and enjoy!
Tired of the same old mashed potatoes? These are a Latin spin on mashed potatoes, with the added addition of a crisped crust which adds some much-needed texture to this side dish. Choose plantains that are half-ripe (in other words, with a few black spots on them.)
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- Juice of one orange
- 4 half-ripe plantains, cut into half-moons
- 1 teaspoon turbinado raw sugar
- Zest of half an orange
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
Directions:
- Heat oil. Cook scallions for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn heat to medium low and add garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
- Add paprika and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring all the way. Add juice of orange. Let simmer for a minute on medium low heat.
- Add plantains and raw sugar. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add half cup of water. Simmer mixture covered for 6 to 7 minutes.
- Uncover and cook off all moisture. Mash plantains with back of a large spatula and form into a ½ inch thick cake. Press down gently and let caramelize on one side for about 2 minutes on medium low heat. Flip over, sprinkle over parsley and orange zest, and cook on other side for another 2 minutes or until well-browned (press gently with back of spatula to assist browning). Cut into triangles and enjoy!
