Barbara Bretton: Wish You Were Here

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The Food Goddess is in the Kitchen! I am delighted beyond words to present my friend, my pal, Kali Amanda Browne (daughter of the beauteous and talented Marie) aka The Food Goddess. Enjoy!

Mojo is Culinary Magic

The last few years we have been bombarded by mojito fever. Even the girls on "Sex and the City" got in one the act. Rum, lemon juice, sugar and crushed mint entered the collective consciousness. While a good cocktail is always a welcome concept; to a lot of us, the word itself just conjured mojo. Not the type of mojo associated with voodoo, this one is pronounced "moe-ho" and of which mojito is a diminutive.

Mojo is a whole different beast. Hot and spicy, like the Latin soul!

Mojo is the generic name for piquant sauces that are a staple in the Canary Islands. The basic recipe includes olive oil and copious amounts of garlic, and it is flavored with a tangy element (lemon juice, vinegar, or sour oranges). The traditional dish is boiled potatoes with mojo, but the sauce is also served as a dipping sauce with bread.

Almost every Latin American cuisine has its own version of mojo, but it is especially popular in the Caribbean.

There are certain dishes that you automatically order when you go to a restaurant because you know it will be a treat: French pate, Italian fried calamari, Chinese dumplings, Spanish paella . . .

Any time we find ourselves in a Cuban Chinese restaurant we can't help but order the chicken crackling with mojo. The sauce is also used as a sauce over plantains and other root vegetables, chicken, fish and meats.

Of course, you have to be a true fan of garlic because this will clear your sinuses for a month of Sundays! This is a deceptively simple recipe, but it packs a lot of taste and it transforms whatever it touches in a truly magnificent way. This can be made ahead and refrigerated for several weeks, and reheated as needed. The truly adventurous, may add a dash of hot sauce or fresh cracked pepper.

Mojo Criollo
(Creole Garlic Sauce)

From Memories of a Cuban Kitchen by Mary Urrutia Randleman.

6 to 8 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup sour (Seville) orange juice
(substitution 1/4 cup sweet orange juice and 1/8 cup each fresh lime and lemon juice)
1/2 cup pure Spanish olive oil

Using a mortar and pestle or a food processor, crush garlic with the salt to form a thick paste.
In a mixing bowl, combine garlic paste, onion, and juice, and let the mixture sit at room temperature for at least half an hour.
Before serving, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Quickly add garlic mixture, stir and serve immediately.
To reheat, simmer over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes.

Less traditionally, you may stir sauce into a cup of plain yogurt or sour cream, and garnish with chopped fresh herbs and ladle a dollop into plain broth.

You can email me at kali.templeofdoom@gmail.com.