Much like the sofrito is the basis for alot of Cuban dishes, what is commonly known as Mojo (pronounced moho), is the finishing flourish of flavor. Mojo can be spooned over rice & beans, meats, and fish, as well as prepared vegetables, such as Fufu or Tostones. There are many variations on this theme. Some recipes call for the juice of a sour orange, some are not cooked and are raw. The Mojo I grew up spooning over my meals was a cooked version. Here is how to make it. You will need a good mortar & pestle (preferably wood). This is Mom's recipe.

1 medium onion (diced)

5 cloves of garlic

1 large lime

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Crush the garlic cloves with the salt in the mortar using the pestle. The slat will keep the garlic from sliding around everywhere. Add the diced onion and the juice of the lime. heat the olive oil until it reaches the smoking point and pour over the onion and garlic mixture (Be Careful! Step back when you do this as the hot oil will bubble and splatter when you pour it!)

Your Mojo is finished! Spoon over your favorite dish. Typically this is served over Yucca, which is the casava root (more on that recipe, later).