Cook’s Notebook : Add yuca and a latke turns into a fritter

Carolyn Bonvallet of Spokane had a challenging request. She had recently traveled to Puerto Rico, and enjoyed some yuca fritters while there.

As she described them, they were made from grated yuca, onion, garlic and cilantro, cooked very crisp and shaped like a thick potato chip. Another restaurant served yuca fritters much like a big french fry. When she asked an older local woman how to make them, she was told it was “too much work to grate yuca.”

Maybe so. That didn’t stop me from trying to replicate Bonvallet’s Puerto Rican dish.

First, a few words about yuca: Yuca, also known as cassava, is a starchy root native to South America but now a staple in many parts of Africa. It’s available in many major markets – I found mine at the Safeway in Liberty Lake. According to “The Food Lover’s Companion,” it’s usually 6 to 12 inches long and 2 to 3 inches around, with a tough brown skin and a white flesh. It’s the source of tapioca, and generally can be used like a potato.

To peel a yuca, “The Gourmet Cookbook” suggests that you cut the root into thirds, then cut lengthwise through the tough bark and the pink layer underneath. Then you pry these two layers away from the flesh using a knife, then peel around each piece. Cut each piece in half lengthwise and remove the woody core.

When buying yuca, look for roots that are free of soft spots, mold and an ammonia smell. Also, the editors of “Gourmet” report, the flesh should be white, without black streaks. You should use it within a few days, or peel it, wrap it well and stick it in the freezer.

Oh, and one more thing. Don’t eat this stuff raw; it’s toxic.

That said, there are plenty of uses for well-cooked yuca. Cut them into steak-fry sized wedges, blanch them and deep fry them for an alternative to french fries. Thinly slice them and fry them into chips. Boiled and mashed yuca can be served in lieu of mashed potatoes, or stuffed and fried to make little dumplings often called fritters.

That’s when Bonvallet’s challenge came from – trying to find a recipe to match the fritters she described. Many of the fritter recipes I found online and in my cookbook collection used mashed yuca as a base for a fritter dough that was stuffed and fried or simply fried. Only a couple recipes I found used grated yuca, and in those cases, they used only grated yuca and a little salt. As I looked at her ingredients list – yuca, onion, garlic and cilantro – and kept reading the phrase, “Yuca can be used as a substitute for potato,” it dawned on me. This sounds like a latke.

Latkes are potato pancakes made with grated potato and onion and typically served at Hanukkah. This time, I used grated yuca – a food processor is great for this job – a grated onion, some minced garlic, some cilantro and one egg. I portioned the mixture out into small, flat pancakes to allow for thorough cooking. Then I fried them in oil until brown and crispy. They turned out tasty. Nice and crisp with a good flavor.

This probably isn’t the most authentic recipe for grated yuca fritters, but it should be a place for Bonvallet and other adventurous cooks to start. If any readers have a more traditional Puerto Rico style recipe, I’d love to try it.

Yuca Fritters

Adapted from Potato Latkes, “The Gourmet Cookbook”

1 1/2 to 2 pounds yuca, peeled

1 yellow onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 handful fresh cilantro, minced fine

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

Neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed, for frying

Using a food processor or a box grater, grate the yuca. Wrap the grated yuca in a towel and squeeze out any excess moisture. Place in a bowl.

Grate the onion and place in a colander to drain. When much of the liquid has drained off, add onion to the yuca and add the chopped garlic and cilantro and gently combine. Add egg and salt and combine.

Meanwhile, heat about 1/2 inch of oil or more in a large pan over medium high heat, until the oil shimmers but isn’t smoking. It’s ready when a drop of water sizzles in the oil.

Portion out a couple tablespoons of the mixture – a cookie dough scoop works well – and press into a thin pancake. Working in batches, place the fritters in the oil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until crisp and golden. Remove from the oil and allow to drain. Serve immediately.

Yield: About 24 fritters

Nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.