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Potiron au mojo (Calabaza con Mojo)

Name: Potiron au mojo (Calabaza con Mojo)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: CU
Ingredients: 1.2 kg Caribbean pumpkin (calabaza) or kabocha squash, peeled and seeded; 2 litres water; 1 tbsp coarse salt (for boiling); 8 cloves garlic, peeled; 1 tsp salt (for the mojo); 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 120 ml extra virgin olive oil; 120 ml sour orange juice (naranja agria), or 80 ml orange juice mixed with 40 ml lime juice; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1/4 tsp dried oregano; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

15m

Prépa

25m

Cuisson

Portions

Facile

Difficulté

Potiron cubain bouilli, nappé d'un mojo chaud à l'ail, à l'orange amère et à l'huile d'olive.

#cuban#side#pumpkin#garlic#mojo#vegan#comfort-food

Portions

6portions

Ingrédients

Nutrition

calories210

protein2g

carbs14g

fat18g

fiber2g

Par portion

Étapes

Prepare the pumpkin

Peel the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp, and cut the flesh into chunks about 5 cm across. Cutting evenly means every piece cooks at the same rate.

1.2 kg pumpkin

✅ C'est prêt quand : all the pieces are a similar size, with no skin or seeds left

Boil until tender

Put the pumpkin chunks in a large pot, cover with the water, add the salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, until a knife slides in easily but the pieces still hold their shape.

1.2 kg pumpkin (from step 1)
2 litres water
1 tbsp salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : a knife or fork goes in with almost no resistance, but the chunks do not fall apart

⏱18:00

Crush the garlic

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Cook the mojo

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Drain and serve

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Prepare the pumpkin

Peel the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp, and cut the flesh into chunks about 5 cm across. Cutting evenly means every piece cooks at the same rate.

1.2 kg pumpkin

✅ C'est prêt quand : all the pieces are a similar size, with no skin or seeds left

Boil until tender

1.2 kg pumpkin (from step 1)
2 litres water
1 tbsp salt

✅ C'est prêt quand : a knife or fork goes in with almost no resistance, but the chunks do not fall apart

⏱18:00

Crush the garlic

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Cook the mojo

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Drain and serve

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

History & Culture

The Story Behind the Dish

📍 Cuba, island-wide📅 Colonial era to today🎃 CU

Pumpkin was already grown and eaten on the island before colonization, part of the same squash family cultivated across the Americas. Mojo, on the other hand, came from the Canary Islands with Spanish settlers, who brought the idea of pounding garlic with oil and an acid into a sauce for meats and vegetables.

In Cuba, cooks swapped in local sour orange for the Canary pepper-based version, and calabaza con mojo became a staple side dish, especially around festive meals like Noche Buena, where it sits alongside roast pork, rice and black beans.

⭐ Why It's Famous

It turns an everyday vegetable into something people ask for by name, thanks to the hot, garlicky mojo that soaks into the soft pumpkin.

💡 Fun Fact

The same mojo, with small variations, is poured over cassava (yuca), fried plantains and roast pork across Cuban kitchens — it is less a single recipe than a whole family of garlic sauces.

🎃