Cassava Mofongo (Mofongo de Yuca)

1. Preheat about 2 inches of oil in a frying pan or deep fryer to 350 F.

2. While the oil is heating up, peel the yuca and cut it into 1/2-inch rounds or pieces.

3. Fry the prepared yuca until fork-tender. This will take approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

4. Remove cooked yuca from the fryer and allow it to drain on paper towels.

Traditional Mortar and Pestle Method

1. Coat the inside of mortar with olive oil.

2. Add half of a clove of garlic and a pinch of salt. Pound to make a garlic paste.

3. Divide yuca into 6 equal portions. Add 1 portion of the fried yuca to the mortar. Pound the yuca and garlic paste into a mash by pounding down and toward the sides of the mortar. This action helps turn over and mix the ingredients.

4. Dice 1 slice of bacon and add to the yuca mash.

5. Keep rotating the mortar and pounding down toward the sides until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed into a smooth mash.

6. Push all ingredients down to the bottom of the mortar. With the back of a spoon, smooth over and level off the mix. Then use the spoon to scrape around the mortar and remove the mash in a half-dome shape.

7. Repeat these steps 6 times to create 6 portions of cassava mofongo.

Potato Masher Method

1. With the olive oil, lubricate the inside of the bowl where you will be mashing the yuca.

2. Make a garlic paste with the garlic cloves and salt, then add it to the bowl.

3. Add the fried yuca to the bowl and mash it together with the garlic paste using the potato masher.

4. Dice the bacon and add to the yuca mash.

5. Continue to mash all ingredients together until thoroughly mixed into a smooth mash. Divide into 6 equal portions.

6. For each portion, use a small condiment bowl as a mold. Push the mash down to the bottom of the bowl. With the back of a spoon, smooth over and level off the mix. Then, use the spoon to scrape around the bowl and remove the mash in a half-dome shape.