Yuca Frita con Chicharrón y Chimol
Yuca Frita con Chicharrón y Chimol·(yoo-kah free-tah kohn chee-chah-rohn ee chee-mohl)
Panes con Pollo & The Weekend Feast
This is pure Salvadoran comfort on a plate, the kind of undisputed masterpiece that tells you the weekend has officially arrived. The secret to this dish isn't hunting down obscure ingredients; it is an unpretentious mastery of technique, like boiling pork belly until it deep-fries in its own rendered fat, or blanching cabbage for an instant weeknight curtido. Don't be a hero with fresh root vegetables. Grabbing a frozen, peeled bag of yuca from your local Latin market is the authentic grandmother's shortcut that makes this feast possible on a Wednesday night.
Before you start
Set up the curtido ingredients in the sink.
Place the shredded cabbage, carrot, and sliced red onion in a large colander.
Blanch the curtido vegetables for an instant soften.
Pour a kettle of boiling water completely over the vegetables, let them drain for two minutes, then toss with the vinegar, oregano, and salt in a bowl.
Assemble the chimol ingredients but do not salt them yet.
Combine the diced tomatoes, red onion, radishes, cilantro, and mint in a bowl, reserving the lime juice and salt.
Boil and blend the salsa roja.
Boil the quartered tomatoes, white onion, and single garlic clove until soft, then blend with the chicken bouillon until completely smooth.
Strain and simmer the salsa for a silky texture.
Pour the blended salsa through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan to discard skins and seeds, then simmer with a teaspoon of oil for five minutes until deepened in color.
Ingredients
- pork belly2 lb
- water1 cup
- garlic3 small
- salt1 tsp
- ground cumin1/2 tsp
- lime1 large
- frozen peeled yuca2 lb
- garlic1 large
- salt1 tbsp
- neutral oil2 cup
- Roma tomatoes4 med
- red onion1/2 med
- radishes5 med
- fresh cilantro1/4 cup
- fresh mint2 tbsp
- lime1 large
- Worcestershire sauce1 tsp
- green cabbage1/2 med
- carrot1 large
- red onion1/2 med
- dried Mexican oregano1 tsp
- apple cider vinegar1/2 cup
- salt1 tsp
- Roma tomatoes3 med
- white onion1/4 med
- garlic1 small
- chicken bouillon1 tsp
- neutral oil1 tsp
Method
- 01
Render the pork belly in water until it fries in its own fat.
Combine the cubed pork, water, smashed garlic cloves, cumin, salt, and lime juice in a wide skillet, boiling over medium-high heat until the water fully evaporates.
- 02
Crisp the chicharrón.
Lower the heat to medium and stir frequently until the pork is deeply golden, crispy, and slightly hard on all sides, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
- 03
Boil the yuca until completely fork-tender.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil with the tablespoon of salt and whole head of garlic, add the frozen yuca, and boil until the edges look fluffy, about twenty to thirty minutes.
- 04
Drain and dry the yuca to guarantee a crispy fry.
Remove the yuca, pull out the woody core strings once cool enough to handle, and let it sit for five minutes so the steam evaporates completely.
- 05
Fry the yuca until golden brown.
Heat an inch of neutral oil in a deep skillet to 350°F and fry the yuca wedges in batches until they form a beautiful crust, draining on paper towels and salting immediately.
Notes
Finish the chimol right before serving.
Toss the resting chimol vegetables with the lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of salt just minutes before eating to prevent a soggy salsa.
Assemble the plate in proper Salvadoran order.
Start with a generous bed of hot yuca frita, scatter the chicharrón over top, mound the tangy curtido, spoon the chimol on the side, and drizzle everything with the warm salsa roja.
Use frozen yuca without shame.
Fresh yuca shipped to the Midwest is heavily waxed and often internally bruised; frozen is flash-frozen at peak freshness, pre-peeled, and cooks beautifully every time.