• 1 ½ pounds uncooked yucca
  • Vegetable oil
  • Fine salt
  • Garlicky Dipping Sauce

Makes 4 side dish servings

Peel the yucca. Cut the root into 4 inch or so pieces. If you don’t plan to cook the fries right away, keep the yucca in a bowl covered with cold salted water.

Pour enough oil into a 3- or 4-quart heavy pot to fill 3 inches or so. Heat over medium-low heat until the tip of the handle of a wooden spoon gives off a faint but steady sizzle when immersed in the oil (about 300 ° F.)

While the oil is heating, cut each piece of yucca into 4 wedges. Cut out the light brown core from each wedge. Cut the pieces into 1/2 x ½ -inch matchstick pieces. Discard the trimmings, they will only burn during frying.

Slip the yucca pieces into the oil and cook, stirring very gently, until the bubbling subsides by about half and a piece of yucca is tender when poked with the tip of a knife, about 4 minutes. The yucca shouldn’t brown on this go-round, that will happen later. If they should start to color, lower the heat and remove the pan from the heat for a minute. Remove them with a slotted spoon or skimmer to a baking pan lined with paper towels. Drain and cool completely. Once they are fried for the first time, the yucca can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

To serve: reheat the oil until the tip of the handle of a wooden spoon gives off a lively sizzle (about 350°F). Slip the yucca into the oil and cook, stirring gently, until crisp and deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Serve hot, sprinkled with salt and, if you like, passing the garlic sauce separately.