Red Snapper Yuca Cakes with Mojo de Ajo

Red Snapper Yuca Cakes with Mojo de Ajo

Info

Rating
Calories
314.0
Protein
19.0
Sodium
698.0
Fat
13.0

Description

While in Costa Rica, Boston chef Steve Johnson was inspired to make fish cakes from leftover red snapper and boiled yuca. The combination takes clever advantage of the vegetable's starchy character, which binds the cakes together while allowing the flavor of the snapper to come through cleanly. We prefer to use frozen yuca, which has a better consistency and is easier to prepare.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds frozen yuca*
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise then thinly sliced lengthwise
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pounds red snapper fillets, skinned and any bones removed
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup fresh orange juice (from 2 oranges)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
6 fresh Thai chiles (red or green), seeded and minced, or 2 to 3 serrano chiles (including seeds), minced
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot (4 small)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Accompaniment: lime wedges

Directions

  1. Simmer yuca in boiling salted water until fork-tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Drain yuca and transfer to a large bowl, then cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
  2. While yuca is cooling, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion with cumin and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne over fish and add to onion in skillet, then sauté, turning fish over once, until just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer fish with onion to a plate and cool to room temperature.
  3. Remove thin, fibrous core from yuca if necessary, then coarsely mash yuca with a wooden spoon. Flake fish and add to yuca along with onion and herbs, tossing to combine (mixture will be coarse). Form into 12 (2 1/2-inch) cakes (1 inch thick) and transfer to a wax-paper-lined tray. Cover cakes with plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes.
  4. Cook garlic in oil in a small skillet over low heat, stirring, until just softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer garlic with oil to a small bowl and stir in remaining mojo ingredients. Chill mojo, covered, until serving.
  5. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat in a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably nonstick) until hot but not smoking, then sauté half of cakes, turning over once, until browned and heated through, about 8 minutes total. Sauté remaining cakes in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Serve with mojo and lime wedges.
  6. *Available at Latino markets and some supermarkets.

Tags

    Fish Sauté Lime Orange Snapper Hot Pepper Healthy Yuca Gourmet
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