To anyone who has not tasted it, yucca is difficult to describe. Yielding, yet substantial, creamy, yet fluffy, yucca has an elusive texture and taste that is at once savory and sweet. The wonder tuber hails from the tropical regions of the Caribbean and Latin America, and is a staple food that enriches meat, poultry and fish dishes. In the United States, the large, thick-skinned, fleshy root-like tubers are available year-round, and usually come heavily waxed. Search out fresh unblemished yuccas in Latin specialty markets for cheaper and fresher produce.
Stew
Step 1
Place the yucca root on a sturdy cutting board. Cut the yucca root crosswise, half way down the length of the tuber. Cut off the ends of the yucca. Stand the yucca on its end and slice off the bark-like skin with a large kitchen knife. Remove all the skin, leaving no traces of the brown fibrous covering.
Step 2
Chop the peeled yucca in half again, and then quarter the sections lengthwise.
Step 3
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stovetop. Add the yucca and cook it at a gentle boil until it turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
Step 4
Add the yucca to a chicken or beef stock already simmered with meat and vegetables. The starchy tuber will thicken and enrich the stock, forming a savory sauce. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the stew is ready and serve in bowls.
Fries
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2
Cut, peel and quarter the yucca. Divide the quartered yucca pieces again.
Step 3
Boil the yucca pieces in salted water until they turn translucent, about 12 minutes. Remove the cooked yucca from the pot and put them on a plate.
Step 4
Rub canola oil on the yucca pieces or spray them with canola oil spray. Put the pieces on the rack of a baking pan and place the pan in the oven. Cook the yucca until golden and crisp on the outside. Serve as a side dish, sprinkled with sea salt.
Tips and Warnings
- Mature yuccas have a fibrous, dense core. Remove the core from the cut pieces just as you would remove the core of a pineapple, cutting downward through the piece lengthwise.
Things You'll Need
- Sturdy cutting board
- Long handled kitchen knife
- Large pot
- Sea salt
- Canola oil in liquid or spray form
- Baking pan with rack
Member Comments