From the Fischer-Daly Cocina: Crispy Yucca jazzed with Spicy Aioli Dip…

Egg Yolk, desiring-to-be-red in color, to garlic-punching dipping sauce (okay, dip, I first shopped at Krogers, so “dip” clearly connotes concoctions such as ranch or my introduction to artichoke, lost in a gurgle of parmesan) is a fast, easy and yummy transition: Drop the yolk in a bowl (blender) with a couple teaspoons of mustard (use Dijon unless you share my absentmindedness, in which case yellow gets the job done). Whisk slowly, then furiously, but always steadily (or start blender on a medium speed) and begin to pour a cup of olive oil, not all at once but a clean regular pour. As concoction emulsifies, finish the steady pour of olive oil. Then add garlic (5 small/medium cloves) and pepper (1 small jalapeño or a serrano) and continuing whisking (or blending). Shift the dip to a bowl and set in the fridge to cool while you heat some oil on the stovetop…

Pre-fry, have your yucca pealed, cut into chunks that fit your pan/pot, and boiled for approximately 5 minutes…then the fun part. Drop your yucca into hot oil (and minced garlic clove or two if you’re into the excessive side of flavor) on the frying pan (use enough oil to cover the pan and maintain it smoothly covered in oil throughout the fry) and have a little faith in the wonders of hot oil. Turn your yucca chunks side to side until their color takes on a yellowish (thank you, oil) – brown (oh, right, it’s a tuber) shade. Once your yucca looks bronzed, it’s outside slightly crunchy, and maybe your skin aglow with a little spray from the frying fun, serve the yucca chunks on a plate with the spicy aioli.

Dig in, and enjoy! By the way, just what are you enjoying: yucca? cassava? The answer seems to be yes. As noted by Mark Bittman, author of the how to cook everything guides, “taro (yucca) is a tuber with brownish gray fiber-covered striped skin and gray-white flesh with purple stippling, more flavorful than potatoes”. Bittman then describes cassava as a tuber with an “elgongated, tapered oval shape with a dark brown, woody, and often waxed and shiny skin; flesh is white, crisp, and loaded with starch”. In our neck of the woods, the later description fits to a t the item labeled “yucca” in all markets, restaurants and grocers. If anyone has interesting insights into the world of yucca vs. cassava, the floor is yours…