This is my own variation on a dish that I used to order at a Peruvian-Cuisine Restaurant that, sadly, no longer exists in my hometown, Columbus, Ohio. Beleive me, I did my part -- one plate at a time -- to keep it in business. This dish features the heat of the pepper, combined in olive oil with the pungency of fresh cilantro, all tamed by the bulk of the cassava, a starchy root vegetable often featured in Latin cuisine. The juice and pulp of the blood orange adds tang and a unique color and also helps to cool the heat of the pepper.

Ingredients:

1 Medium to Large Cassava tuber (also called a Yuca Root) 1-2 Blood Oranges 2 Fresh Hot Peppers (any kind you like) (I like yellow Hungarian for this) 1 Bunch Fresh Cilantro Olive Oil (the best you can get)

Directions:

Cut the cassava in half using a chopping knife or cleaver. Using a paring knife, peel all the brown bark off of the cassava, until you get down to the white flesh. At this point, you can decide for yourself whether to leave the half-cassava whole (and, if so, you will cut it up when you go to eat it -- like you would when eating a whole baked potato), or cut it into bite-size chunks prior to cooking. Either way, pour some olive oil on it, add a dash of salt and pepper to taste, and stick each half in the microwave for 5 to 10 minutes. Cook it until its soft and ready to eat - it will be roughly the same texture as a baked potato. During cooking, the parts of the cassava that are exposed to air will start to dry out a little. This is okay and will contribute a slightly stringy texture that in my opinion enhances the dish. You can experiment with it and get it to the texture you like. The longer you cook it, the drier and more stringy it will get. While the cassava is cooking, start mincing together the hot peppers and cilantro. Include some or all of the pepper seeds if you like them, or leave them out if you prefer. Once minced, put them in a bowl and cover them with some olive oil. Heat this mixture in the microwave just long enough to warm it up to your taste. Transfer the cassava into two serving two bowls. Then pour the pepper/cilantro mixture over the cooked cassava. Peel the blood oranges, then squeeze them in your hand while holding then over the top of each cassava serving. Cut up the blood orange pulp into bite size pieces and remove the seeds. Add this to the cassava dish, and serve. This dish goes well with a yogurt drink.