South American Yuca Fries Yuca Frita Recipes

YUCA FRITA

Steps:

• Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper to a small blender (like a Nutribullet).
• Blend until the sauce is smooth. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula a couple of times and then continue blending.
• Refrigerate the cilantro garlic sauce until ready to use. Give it a good stir right before serving.
• Add 3 - 4 quarts of water to a large pot.
• Bring the water to a boil.
• Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water.
• Carefully add the yuca to the boiling water. Use tongs to lower the yuca into the water.
• Cover the pot and cook the yuca for approximately 20-25 minutes. Stirring gently occasionally.
• Cook the yuca until it is tender. A knife should slide in and out without offering resistance. If it does not, continue cooking.
• Test the yuca after the first 15 minutes of cooking. Then gauge the remaining cooking time from there.
• Drain the yuca completely. Use a strainer and let all of the water drain and steam away.
• When the yuca is cool enough to handle, arrange it on a pan or large platter. Do not stack it. Let it cool completely, or refrigerate the yuca until it is chilled and firmed up.
• Cut the yuca into thick pieces, about 1 inch thick and at least 3-4 inches long.
• Remove and discard the stringy, woody pieces. They resemble really thick twine.
• Add enough oil to a deep, large skillet to cover the bottom by about 1 inch.
• Heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking add some of the yuca pieces to the skillet. Do not overcrowd the skillet, fry in batches.
• Fry the yuca for 2 minutes.
• Turn each piece and fry for 2 minutes.
• Fry the yuca for one more minute turning any pieces that need to brown further. The yuca should be a light golden color on all sides.
• Remove the yuca with a slotted spoon or tongs and place them on a plate or pan that is lined with a paper towel. As soon as they are all out, sprinkle with a little bit of salt.
• Repeat with the steps above with the remaining yuca.
• Serve the yuca frita with the cilantro garlic sauce

YUCA FRITA (FRIED CASSAVA)

Steps:

• In a large pot cover the yuca with water, add salt and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and cook about 15 to 20 minutes or until is tender.
• Remove the yuca from the water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the cooked yuca into ½ - inch strips.
• Fill a large frying pan with enough vegetable oil to 350° F. When the oil is hot, place the yuca into the heated oil carefully. Fry them until golden brown on both sides about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the yuca pieces from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

FRIED YUCA WITH PERUVIAN CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Pulse together sauce ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
• Fry yuca:
• If using fresh yuca, trim ends and cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces, then peel, removing waxy brown skin and pinkish layer underneath.
• Cover yuca (fresh or frozen) with cold salted water by 1 inch in a 4-quart pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until yuca is tender when pierced with a wooden skewer, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to several layers of paper towels to drain, then cool 5 minutes. Cut yuca lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide wedges, discarding thin woody core. (If there are pieces that have white parts to them, return them to barely simmering water and simmer until almost translucent.)
• Heat about 1 1/2 inches oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until it registers 360°F on thermometer.
• Fry yuca in 3 batches, turning occasionally, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 360°F between batches.) Sprinkle fries with salt and serve with cheese sauce.

YUCA FRITA CON MOJO

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk the mojo ingredients. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours or overnight., Place yuca and 1 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, until fork-tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain and pat yuca pieces dry., In a deep skillet, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. Fry yuca, a few pieces at a time, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with dipping sauce, or toss to coat, if desired.

YUCA FRITA (DEEP-FRIED YUCA)

Steps:

• Place the frozen yuca pieces in a large, deep pot. Cover with salted water, bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes at a low boil.
• Carefully remove yuca from the pot, and place the pieces on a large plate. Set aside to cool.
• When the yuca pieces are cool enough to handle, cut them into strips roughly the size of thick steak fries.
• Heat about 3 cups of oil in a deep pot or a wok to about 380 degrees. Carefully drop in the yuca pieces, a few at a time, and fry them until they are golden - about 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel, sprinkle with salt, and serve immediately.