Weird title, I know, but it’ll make sense if you read today’s post.
I spent a long weekend in Punta Cana with my mom last week and we had a BLAST. We stayed at the all inclusive Hard Rock Resort and while we were thrilled to throw away all of our cares for 5 days, we didn’t
have high expectations for the food (just being honest). All inclusive resorts are amazing for relaxation and availability of pretty much anything you could ever need but that can sometimes come at a price. It’s rare to have a truly gourmet experience at an all inclusive because the food is being cranked out in high volume and at a high speed.
While this description was accurate for some of the meals we enjoyed, we were pleasantly surprised on a few occasions as well; from a decadent, rich, tender leg of lamb to perfectly balanced cheese boards with all my favorite indulgences. But, the highlight of the trip, in terms of meals, was actually from a self serve station by the pool.
Slow roasted pork in a broth with carrots, black beans, and yuca. I know, I know, not really tropical weather poolside fare but the smell was so captivating, I didn’t care that it was 85 and humid. I needed a bowl.
The pork fell apart at the touch of the spoon and the yuca was just the right amount of tender and the spices added just took everything to the next level. I felt like we were eating a real home cooked Dominican meal. So. Freaking. Good.
I’ve had yuca plenty of times before this – it’s one of my mom’s favorites and we recently introduced my four year old nephew to it too. Texturally, it’s very similar to a potato and before peeled, it even kind of looks like one but yuca has a mild, sweet, slightly nutty flavor that I can’t get enough of.
Because I am now on a yuca kick, I figured I’d share a recipe with those of you who may like to play around with it.
Yuca Fritters
- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
- 1 pound yuca, grated
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 teaspoon anise seed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- Grate the yuca using the smallest size of the grater.
- In a medium bowl, combined the yuca, butter, egg, anise seed, salt and sugar. Using a wooden spoon, mix together until well combined.
- In a frying pan, heat up vegetable oil over medium heat. Place about 1 tablespoon of the mixture in the oil, separately. Cook until the fitter has turned golden brown, for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to remove excess grease.
- Serve immediately.
*Recipe and photo from The Latina Homemaker
So … what do you think? Will you try?
Rebecca McKinney
I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.
So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!
Eat well & travel often,
Becky McKinney
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