This cassava sauteed butter with herbs is absolutely delicious. On the day that I cooked this, I had a completely different dish planned to cook but my Mom gave me some cassava and I had to change my plans. I could not resist making this buttered cassava recipe. This for me is great comfort food, which always reminds me of home.
Cassava is a very versatile food, which can be cooked in many different ways including deserts like cassava pone, farine (a coarse cassava flour used in place of cereal) or a bread like cassava bread made in St Lucia. The flour derived from cassava is also an excellent alternative gluten-free flour, perfect for baking those delicious gluten-free treats.
Like many other ground provisions, this is a staple in my home country, St Lucia, and in many other Caribbean Islands. We call it manioc like some of the other islands but in parts of South America it is also referred to as yucca. Cassava is a very nutritious starchy root vegetable that is an excellent source of vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. It should never be eaten raw as it contains cyanide but the leaves are also edible when cooked.
Cooking your Cassava
A really nice cassava will start to fall apart when cooked and will melt in your mouth. It absorbs flavours incredibly well, so this recipe will be fragrant and filled with the flavour of the butter and herbs. You can make this recipe with fresh or frozen cassava, it’s entirely up to you.
If using fresh cassava, start by peeling and washing your cassava. Cut into approximately 1 ½ inch rounds, don’t cut them too small or they will just fall apart once it’s cooked through.
Place cassava in a pot with enough water to cover them, approximately 2 cups should do. Add salt, cover the pot and boil over medium heat for about 20 minutes. You may want to add a sprinkle of herbs to the pot while cooking. This is optional but will aid in the cassava absorbing the flavours even more.
While your cassava is cooking, if you haven’t done so already, dice your onions, and herbs and set aside.
When your cassava is cooked, it should be tender and start to separate down the middle slightly. Test with a fork to make sure that they are cooked through. Don’t overcook, as the cassava will continue to cook when sauteed with your herbed butter and will start to break apart when you start to toss in the butter mixture. Drain any remaining water from the cassava and set it aside.
Time for the Sautee
In a separate saucepan melt your butter or add your oil till heated. Add the onions and minced garlic and lightly sauté until the onions are slightly translucent. Add the herbs and cassava and mix the cassava in the herbed butter. Make sure to fully coat all of the cassava with the herb butter mixture.
Herb Buttered Cassava
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs cassava
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1 sprig chives
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and wash the cassava.
- Cut in 1 1/2:” rounds and place in a pot of water. Add the salt and black pepper.
- Cover and cook cassava over medium head for approximately 20 minutes or until tender. The cassava should start to split in the middle.
- Dice the onions and finely chop the herbs and set aside.
- Once the cassava is cooked through, turn off the heat, drain and set aside.
- In a frying over low heat, add the butter or oil. Sautee minced garlic and onions until translucent and fragrant.
- Add the herbs and cassava and toss the cassava to coat it fully with the herb butter mixture.
- Let simmer on low heat for a couple of minutes to aid in the absorption of the flavours.
- Turn off the heat and serve with your choice of protein and vegetables.
Notes
Sugar Conscious • Vegetarian • Pescatarian • Gluten-Free • Wheat Free • Egg-Free • Peanut Free • Tree Nut Free • Soy-Free Cholesterol 18 mg 6 % | Sodium 253 mg 11 % | Magnesium 31 mg 7 % | Potassium 398 mg 8 % | Phosphorus 45 mg 6 % | Vitamin A 62 μg 7 % | Vitamin C 30 mg 33 % | Thiamin (B1) 0 mg 11 % | Niacin (B3) 1 mg 7 % | Vitamin B6 0 mg 12 % | Folate (Equivalent) 40 μg 10 %
