Combine two of Dominicans' favorite roots in a creamy, luscious, tasty arracacha or creole celery root and yuca mash (puré de yuca y cepa de apio) to die for. Putting yuca and cepa de apio together gives us a new and much more complex flavor that I love, and you will too.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Mar 14, 2014
Why we ❤️ it
The first time I made this delicious mash it was out of necessity: I wanted to serve mashed potatoes but didn't have any. I'm not a big fan of cassava (yuca) mash; it tends to be a bit too dry and sticky, although the flavor can be heavenly.
So I figured I would mix it with another root I love, which has a more forgiving texture: arracacha. The mash was just what the doctor ordered -- metaphorically speaking. It was the perfect texture, and the ingredients were hard to discern once mixed: the sweetness of a good yuca and the lightness of celeriac.
What's cepa de apio
Cepa de apio is a root vegetable that originates in the Andes region; it is known in South America as arracacha, and cepa de apio in the Dominican Republic. In English, it may be found as creole celery root.
It is a starchy nutritious root vegetable with a mild taste, and texture and flavor similar to potato.
Celery root and cassava mash.
Serving suggestions
To complete this meal, I served the mash with my quick, easy pork escalopes, liver with onions, or this rabbit fricasé, as well as your favorite grilled meats, with pork chops, turkey chops, Dominican ribs, this non-traditional sausage egg muffins, or a juicy prime rib.
Top tips
- For a garlicky version, you can substitute garlic powder for onion powder.
- By the way, you can follow the same recipe and substitute potatoes for cepa de apio and yuca to make the world's best mashed potatoes. Word.
- For the smoothest puree, a potato ricer or food mill [Amazon affiliate links] are my preferred method.
About this recipe
But if you are thinking "light" or "bland," you'd be mistaken.
The addition of heavy cream makes it as indulgent as the best mashed potato dish I have eaten - and I have eaten great mashed potatoes.
Recipe
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Cepa de Apio and Yuca Mash (Puré de Yuca y Arracacha)
Ingredients
For the mash
- ¾ pound yuca (cassava), [0.75 kg], (yuca), peeled and chopped
- ¾ pound celeriac, [0.75 kg], peeled and chopped
- ½ tablespoon salt, (plus more for seasoning at the end)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon onion powder
- ¼ cup chopped chives
Instructions
1. Boil
- Place cassava (yuca) and celeriac in a pot, and add sufficient water to cover it plus a couple of inches [5 cm]. Boil until they are very soft, adding ½ tablespoon table salt to the water. Once boiled remove from the water and discard the water.
2. Mash
- Remove the hard center of the yuca (look like nerves). Mash until the mixture is very smooth and there aren't any lumps.
3. Add cream
- Incorportate heavy cream and onion powder and mix well. Taste and season with salt to taste if you find it necessary.
4. Serve
- Sprinkle with chopped chives before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More cepa de apio recipes
If you like this rich root vegetable as much as I do, you'll love these celery root recipes: cream of Dominican celery root, celery root bake, and arracacha and ginger soup.
You can also check our other yuca recipes.
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