Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 120 ml olive oil
- 8 garlic, thinly sliced crosswise
- 160 ml sour orange juice, fresh
- 80 ml water
- 6 g cumin, ground
- 3 g oregano, ground
- 1 g salt, to taste
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- 9 g cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, chopped fresh
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 102 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 35 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 58 mg
- Calcium
- 18 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 5 mg
- Phosphorus
- 11 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 20 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 21 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat 120ml olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat (approximately 175°C/350°F). Add the 8 sliced garlic cloves and cook until they are fragrant and turn a light golden color.
Add 160ml sour orange juice, 80ml water, 6g cumin, 3g oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the sauce cool until it reaches room temperature (approximately 21°C/70°F).
Add 9g of chopped cilantro or parsley to the cooled sauce and stir until combined.
Transfer the sauce to a bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake the container well before serving.
Chef's Notes
- The sauce is highly versatile and works well as a marinade for pork or chicken, or as a finishing sauce for grilled vegetables.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Keep in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Thaw in refrigerator before use.
Reheating: Bring to room temperature or warm gently in a saucepan over low heat.
Troubleshooting
Bitter flavor in the sauce
Cause: Garlic was overcooked or burned during the initial sautéing phase
Fix: Cannot be fixed; the sauce must be restarted
Prevention: Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the garlic edges turn light golden
Oil spatters aggressively when adding juice
Cause: Adding cold liquid to hot oil too quickly
Fix: Cover the pan partially with a lid to contain spatters
Prevention: Lower the heat before adding liquid and pour slowly
Cultural Context
Mojo de ajo is a foundational sauce in Cuban cuisine, traditionally used for 'Lechón Asado' (roast pig) and yuca.
