I live in south Florida, Yuca fries are really popular here, primarily because of the Cuban influence. But Yuca is popular in the entire region and South America . Oven baked Yuca fries are delicious and a good side to so many dishes. An alternative to regular oven baked fries, and healthy too. And that’s what this post is all about
Yuca
Yuca is not Yucca. I just wanted to clarify this because I see it spelled both ways. Yucca is a succulent, a cactus like plant that grows in the desert. Yuca, is an alternate name for cassava. The entire plant is edible, but this post is about the root. So when you say Yuca, it’s the Cuban name given to the root. Now we have that sorted out, let’s move on.
Cassava
The Cassava has been domesticated for over10,000 years. It can trace its roots back to Brazil. It grows in poor quality soil, and is a hardy versatile plant that is high in carbohydrates and will serve you 25% of your daily vitamin C. Because of these qualities it has become a popular crop worldwide, and is a staple diet in most African countries.
In it’s raw state, cassava root is poisonous. The simple solution is to cook it. When ground into a flour, it just has to be processed in a certain way. The flour is used to make tapioca, it is gluten free and neutral in flavor. It has become a popular alternative to grain flours, and is just as versatile.
The Prep
The root is very starchy. It can be cooked in many different ways, boiled, in a stew, or, as I like to eat it in crispy fry form, hence the post heading. Because of its starchy makeup, this Yuca fries require a two step process, first boil, then bake. As with most vegetables you can buy frozen Yuca, but I prefer to use fresh. Fresh Yuca from the store has a thick skin, almost like a bark, that, has to be completely removed. A vegetable peeler works fine. Also the flesh is white, if there are black streaks, discard that part. Cut the flesh into fries, I would advise regular size, not steak fry size
Cooking
I did not make a recipe card for this, the amount of yucca you use is dependent on your requirements, and the rest is just direction. As I had mentioned, we’re going to par cook the Yuca before baking, so it can cook thoroughly. Add the Yuca to enough water to cover it by about an inch, bring to a boil and cook 15 minutes. While that’s cooking, preheat the oven to 450.
After 15mins drain the water and put them it into an appropriate sized bowl, add a tablespoon of olive oil, a couple of cloves of garlic cut up and salt and pepper to taste. I prefer the salt and pepper grinders that you can buy in the spice aisle, the grinder is built into the cap. When set to coarse the salt and pepper flavor is more pronounced. Mix everything well and lay out on a baking tray in a single layer and bake till done, they will look just like regular fries. Usually about 20 to 25 mins. Serve in a bowl on the table, or directly onto plates
That’s it, an alternative to potato fries that will pair with many dishes, oven baked Yuca fries are a favorite of mine. Thank you and enjoy