This garlicky sauce is the traditional accompaniment to the starchy root vegetables of the Hispanic Caribbean, especially Cuba. The acidic medium is usually Seville, or bitter, orange juice, though lime juice or white vinegar can be substituted. The mojo is at its best spooned or brushed over piping-hot boiled yuca, plantains, or other starchy tropical vegetables.

Ingredients

　　12 garlic cloves

　　1 medium yellow onion (about 8 ounces) cut into 1/4-inch thick rings

　　Juice of 1 medium bitter orange (about 1/4 cup), lime juice, or distilled white vinegar

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

　　Pound or mash the garlic to a paste. Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion rings and sauté until they are tender and light golden. Add the garlic paste and sauté briefly, then stir in all the other ingredients and serve at once.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Storing: The sauce will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.

　　Reprinted with permission from Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America by Maricel Presilla, © 2012 Norton. Buy the full book from Amazon or AbeBooks.