Yuca, or cassava, is like the potato of Costa Rica – it can be mashed, fried, boiled, or baked. This root vegetable is traditionally a staple food for families, since it’s delicious, versatile, and inexpensive. These savory yuca cakes are slightly nutty in flavor: a tasty, traditional dish enjoyed throughout the Nicoya Peninsula. A good source of fiber, vitamin C, folate, B vitamins, and potassium, yuca also has a low glycemic index.
This delightful enyucado recipe can be enjoyed as a snack or dressed up into a full meal. You can enjoy the simple preparation as is or customize it if you prefer. Herbs and spices like garlic and chili pepper, as well as other vegetables such as onion, scallions, or celery, can be used in these savory patties. You can also garnish with toppings like avocado, cashew cream, hot sauce, or sweeten them with jam or honey.
1 1/2 pounds yuca (can substitute with sweet potato), peeled
2 mini sweet red peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 culantro coyote leaf (page 147), finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
The Blue Zones Kitchen fuses scientific reporting, National Geographic photography and 100 recipes that may help you live to 100. The Blue Zones’ food tradition is going the way of the dodo bird, thanks to the encroachment of the American Food Culture.
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