Mojo (sauce): Difference between revisions

'''Mojo''' ({{IPA-es|ˈmoxo}}, from [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] ''molho'' {{IPA-pt|ˈmoʎu|}}, meaning "sauce") is the name, or abbreviated name, of several types of [[sauce]]s, varying in spiciness, consisting primarily of [[olive oil]], salt, water, local pepper varieties (called ''pimienta'' in the Canary IslandsSpain), [[garlic]], [[paprika]] (called ''pimentón'' in Spain), [[cumin]] or [[coriander]], and other spices. Mojo originated in the [[Canary Islands]], where the main varieties are green mojo (''mojo verde''), red mojo (''mojo rojo''), and greenspicy red mojo (''mojo verdepicón'').<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-06 |title=Mojo Picon |url=https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/mojo-picon/ |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=Chili Pepper Madness |language=en-US}}</ref> Other countries have recipes similar to mojo, where acidacidic ingredients such as [[vinegar]], [[lemon]], [[orange (fruit)|orange]], or [[Lime (fruit)|lime]] juice may be used.

'''Green mojo''', or mojo containing green spices, is commonly used for fish, speciallyespecially the proper ''green mojo'' (made with green pepper) but also coriander mojo (''mojo de cilantro'') and parsley mojo (''mojo de perejil''). As coriander mojo and parsley mojo contain some water, they need to be kept in the fridgerefrigerator and have to be consumed within the two days after preparation.{{Citation needed|date=September 2014}}

'''Red mojo''', made of small red peppers from [[La Palma]] (called ''pimienta picona'' or ''pimienta palmera'') and [[paprika]], is usually eaten with meat.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pimienta palmera |url=https://canalcocina.es/sabias-que/glosario/pimienta-palmera |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=canalcocina.es |language=es-ES}}</ref> Red and green mojo can be used interchangeably to season some dishes, prominently ''[[Canarian wrinkly potatoes|papas arrugadas]] con salsa mojo'', or ''potatoes with ''mojo''. Mojo is also commonly served with fresh bread rolls at the beginning of a meal.

Similar sauces, also known as ''mojo'', are also popularin [[Cuban cuisine|in Cuba]] and throughout the islands of the [[Caribbean cuisine|Caribbean]], Hispanic or non-Hispanic, due to heavy Canarian emigration to the Caribbean, as well as [[Mexico]], and have even influenced some [[barbecue sauce]]s in the [[Deep South]] region of the United States, particularly the states of Florida, Texas, and Louisiana. {{Citation needed|date=September 2014}}
The flavor can be made of almost everything, from tomato or pepper to avocado. {{Citation needed|date=September 2014}}

In[[Cuban cooking]], ''mojo'' applies to any sauce that is made with garlic, olive oil, or pork lard, and a citrus juice, traditionally [[bitter orange]] juice. It is commonly used to flavor the [[cassava]] tuber and is also used to marinate roast pork.<ref name="OttoCubanTampa">{{cite web |url= http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBQAS0758F.html |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507190125/http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBQAS0758F.html |title= Cuban Is Ours, Any Way You Try To Slice It |author= Steve Otto |work= [[The Tampa Tribune]] |date=24 October 2007 |archivedatearchive-date=7 May 2009}}</ref> or Withoutas oregano,a thedip for plantain chips and fried cassava (yuca frita)[https://stovetopdiplomat.com/2019/01/07/cuban-mojo/]. The sauce is typicallyoccasionally called by its diminutive, 'mojito,' andbut usedshould fornot dippingbe plantainconfused chipswith andthe friedbeverage cassava[[Mojito|of (yuca)the same name]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mojo - Cuban Marinade |url=https://icuban.com/food/mojo.html |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=icuban.com}}</ref> To create the marinade for pork, the ingredients are bitter orange juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt.

In [[Puerto Rico]], ''mojo'' is a herb sauce of finely chopped [[coriandercilantro]] or [[parsley]] with salt, plenty of crushed garlic, and olive oil. [[Black pepper]], butter, grated [[onion]], vinegar, and any citrus fruit can also be added. It is commonly used on the island as a marinade for chicken roast and a dip for ''[[tostones]]'', fried cassava, and sometimes mashed with ''[[mofongo]]''. Puerto Rican [[Chef Jose Enrique]] mojo mixed with papaya and avocado topped on fish has become a part of Puerto Rican gastronomy. There is also a version popular in the town of [[Salinas, Puerto Rico|Salinas]], called ''mojo isleño'', which is served with [[seafood]], particularly fish.<ref>{{Cite web|last=chefbrad|date=2008-07-11|title=Mojo Isleño Recipe (Puerto Rican fish with tomato-olive sauce)|url=https://www.whats4eats.com/fish/mojo-isleno-recipe|access-date=2021-10-11|website=Whats4eats|language=en}}</ref>

In the [[Dominican Republic]], it is called ''[[wasakaka'']] and is used as a sauce for roasted chicken and boiled cassava. Wasakaka is amade mixof boiling plentyof water with parsley, garlic, olive oil, and sour orange or lemonlime juice.

[[Category:{{Hot sauces]]}}