Fried Yucca Cassava Costa Rican Style Food

FRIED YUCCA (CASSAVA ROOT) WITH GREEN SAUCE

Steps:

• Start making making the Green Sauce. Combine lettuce, mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro, peppers, garlic, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Put into a serving dish.
• Next, we fry the yucca. Peel the yucca with a knife and throw away the hard skin. Cut the flesh into 1/2 inch thin strips about 4 inches long. Heat a large iron skillet or nonstick frying pan to medium high heat with about half your oil. I like grape seed oil because it gives a nice crispness to the yucca and it's healthy. Reserve the remaining oil for the 2nd half of your yucca. Organize the yucca in the frying pan into a single layer. fry half the yucca until light golden brown and then flip it over to fry on the other side. Remove when it's golden brown on both sides and place onto a paper towel to drain. Cook the 2nd batch the same way.
• Serve the yucca on a plate, and give each person a small bowl or cup of the green sauce for them to dip their yucca into.

FRIED YUCCA (CASSAVA) COSTA RICAN STYLE

Steps:

• Skin the yuca using a potato peeler or a knife.
• Cut the yuca into 2-3 inch chunks and then cut those chunks in half.
• Boil the yuca until it is just soft enough to poke with a fork. Don't over boil or let it sit in the hot water or it will become to soft and wont fry.
• There is a very indigestible stringy part in the middle, be sure to take that out if its visible.
• Cut the half chunks into smaller fry-shaped pieces.
• Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the yuca and fry on medium or medium-low heat, turning occasionally until they are browned to your liking.
• Add salt and dip in ketchup.

YUCCA (CASSAVA) PANCAKES

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except oil.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Spoon in a couple of tablespoons batter and smooth into a 3-inch to 4-inch cake about 1/2-inch thick.
• Brown on both sides, then drain on paper towels. Serve warm.

PATACONES TICOS (COSTA RICAN FRIED PLANTAINS)

Steps:

• Peel plantains completely.
• Slice Plantains into 1/2 inch rounds.
• Heat oil in sauce pan until almost boiling.
• CAREFULLY place a handful of plantain rounds into hot oil, leaving them in until light brown, about 2 minutes.
• CAREFULLY remove plantain rounds from hot oil with slotted spoon (preferably metal) and place on a cutting board covered in parchment paper.
• Plantain pieces should be on only half of the parchment paper. Fold second half of parchment paper over them, and with a second board or other hard, flat surface press firmly on the paper-covered plantain rounds.
• The rounds should now be smushed-looking, yet still intact.
• *This can also be done using a metal tortilla press, if available. What I use is like a tortilla press, but is specifically designed for patacones, and I bought it at a supermarket in Costa Rica.
• With slotted spoon, replace pieces of plantain in the oil until golden brown.
• Remove pieces with slotted spoon and place on paper towel. Pieces should be slightly crispy.
• Repeat with another handful of rounds, until all have been cooked.
• Sprinkle with salt, to taste.
• Dip in warm refried beans, or also good with ceviche.

FRIED YUCCAS (CASSAVA) WITH HUANCAINA SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel and rinse yuccas.
• Cut in 2 or 3 pieces depending on the size.
• Cook yuccas in salted water until soft and tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and cool.
• Cut yuccas in ½ x 2 inches (1.5 x5 cm).
• Heat oil in a skillet and fry yuccas until golden. Season.
• Drain fat in paper towel.
• Yucca sticks can be frozen until ready to use.
• Remove from freezer and place immediately in hot oil until golden and crispy.
• Serve with Huancaína Sauce as an appetizer.
• Huancaína Sauce:.
• Place ají in a blender.
• Pour milk and blend.
• Sauté onion with garlic in oil until cooked.
• Add this mixture to blender together with the cheese.
• While blending add oil until a creamy sauce is obtained.