To celebrate Gran Cocina Latina’s win this week at the 2013 IACP Cookbook Awards in the “General Cookbook” category, here’s a recipe for yuca fingers and creamy cilantro sauce.
YUCA FINGERS
Serves 6 to 83 pounds fresh yuca, peeled and cut into 5-inch chunks, or 2 pounds frozen yuca
Corn oil or light olive oil, for deep-frying
SaltBoil the yuca for about 30 minutes, until soft but not falling apart. Drain in a colander, remove the spindles and let cool. Cut the yuca lengthwise into 3- to 5-inch-long fingers about an inch thick, like French fries. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and arrange the yuca fingers on it in a single layer. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate until chilled and firm, preferably overnight. (The yuca fingers can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days before frying.)
Heat the oil to 350°F in a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add the yuca fingers a few at a time to the hot oil and turn until lightly golden on all sides. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Serve at once with the sauce.
CREAMY CILANTRO SAUCE PRESILLA (Salsa de Cilantro a la Presilla)
Makes 2 cups2 cups mayonnaise, homemade or store-bought (Hellmann’s or Kraft)
4 garlic cloves, peeled
½ cup (well-packed) cilantro leaves, washed and dried
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined, and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
Salt to tastePlace the mayonnaise in a blender or food processor. Add the garlic, cilantro, hot pepper, cumin, allspice, and oregano. Process until smooth and velvety. Season with the lime juice and salt to taste. If using a jarred mayonnaise, you might not need either since some brands are already tart and salty. If using Hellmann’s, add 1 teaspoon salt and the full amount of lime juice indicated in the recipe. Place in a bowl and serve with yuca fingers.
mmmmm, I first heard about her recipes on NPR.
