Cuban mojo – garlic citrus marinade and sauce

1. Peel the garlic and pound to a smooth paste with a pinch of salt in a mortar (or chop very finely and crush with the flat of a knife).

2. Add the cumin, oregano and pepper and keep pounding until the spices are fragrant.

3. Squeeze the juice from the bitter oranges (a mix of 2 parts orange juice to 1 part lime juice also works instead).

4. Heat the olive oil in a small pan and fry the garlic paste in it for 30 seconds – just until fragrant, not browned.

5. Take off the heat, carefully pour in the citrus juice (it spits!) and season with salt to taste.

6. Pour warm over cassava, roast pork or tostones – or use cold as a marinade for pork, even overnight.

Tip: Mojo is the soul of Cuban lechón asado (roast suckling pig): the meat is marinated in it overnight, and a fresh batch of mojo is poured over at the table.