Mojo criolle enhances many Creole recipes that incorporate fresh tropical fruit into the dish.
The classic Cuban mojo criollo is a Creole sauce created from the juice of sour oranges, limes and garlic. Many variations of the sauce exist, from recipes that experiment with amount of garlic or spices to those that use standard orange juice. The combination of garlic and citrus creates a powerfully flavored, yet well balanced sauce that can be used in a variety of ways to spice up your savory dishes.
Marinade
The traditional use for mojo criollo is as a marinade for meat and poultry. The sauce is sometimes combined with fruit juice, such as nectar, and allowed to marinate for at least an hour, but sometimes as much as a day. The goal is to saturate the meat with as much flavor as possible to create a succulent result. Mojo criollo complements poultry and red and white meats that can be roasted, grilled or sauteed.
Tuber Sauce
Tubers such as yuca or cassava are native to Cuba, and are used in salads or cooked and served at room temperature. Peel the roots and then place in a pot to boil. Once they have cooked, chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Heat the mojo criollo on the stove top over medium heat with sauteed garlic. Serve the sauce hot, atop the tubers.
Black Beans and Rice
Red beans and rice is a traditional Cuban dish that combines a broth from beans with rice, oil, garlic and onion. The mojo criollo brings a further flavor dimension to the fragrant one-pot meal. After you have cooked the black beans and rice, stir in 1 to 2 cups of mojo criollo, and allow some of the liquid to boil off before serving.
Condiment and Dipping Sauce
Due to the zesty flavor of mojo criollo, the sauce complements a variety of dishes. As a dipping sauce served warm or cold, mojo criollo supplies a burst of flavor to chicken tenders, fries, potato wedges or plantain chips. For added brightness to cold cut sandwiches, sprinkle mojo criollo over meat or spread the sauce on the top slice of bread. The sauce can also be used for grilled panini sandwiches that feature ham or pork.
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