http://www.care2.com/greenliving/jicama-orange-salad.html
Jicama-Orange Salad
By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Care2 Healthy and Green Living
It seems that everywhere I went on a recent trip to the Yucatan, there was some version of jicama-orange salad. I was completely drawn to its mix of sweet, salty, spicy and crunchy. I never even knew I liked jicama, and then found myself on the quick track to jicama conversion.
The food of the Yucatan is a far cry from tacos and enchiladas–the Mexican food I grew up with. Over the centuries Mayan food has been influenced by Spain, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Caribbean; it’s unique, surprising, and lovely.
When I got home from my trip I had to try my hand at a jicama-orange salad. I based my New York version on a recipe from the awesome Yucatan regional cookbook, Mayan Cuisine (Gibbs Smith, 2008) by Daniel Hoyer.
It might not have tasted quite the same without silty, white glowing sand stuck between my toes and the near promise of a turquoise swim, but it still tasted pretty good. Even in Brooklyn, I remain a jicama convert.
Dressing
1/2 cup sour orange juice OR 3/8 cup lime juice with 2 tablespoons mild vinegar
1 small clove garlic, smashed, peeled, and finely minced
1 or 2 serrano chiles, thinly sliced in rounds
Generous pinch of allspice
1 teaspoon orange zest, chopped fine
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro or mint
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Salad
1 jicama, peeled and cut into thin slices, sticks or chunks
2 to 3 sweet oranges or other citrus, peeled with a knife and sectioned
1 red onion, peeled, rinsed and thinly sliced
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (optional)
To assemble
1. Combine all of the dressing components 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
2. Arrange the salad in a bowl or serving plater.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad to cover.
4. Serve cool, but not overly chilled for the best flavor.
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6 comments
add your comment »Jicama is also excellent in a chinese stir-fry, with texture similar to water chestnut but with a nicer, sweeter flavor. It is very good both cooked and raw.
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I too, love Jicama. Slices with avacado and red grapes alone are simply delicious. This reminds me, I purchased one a few days ago, and had forgotten it. It is time to celebrate.
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this is my last comment....I swear...LOL....I just LOVE jicama....in my salad I usually add chopped avocado and about 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin and I like to use navel oranges. I don't use oil or vinegar as some people do, I like just the natural juices of the fruit.
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I'm sure you've seen it. Those ugly brown turnip-looking things in the corner of your local produce section. Don't be afraid-they're supposed to be brown.Jicama is a very tasty and versatile root that is certainly underutilized in most American homes. You can use it as a fruit or a vegetable, and you can get both flavor and texture out of it at the same time. Basically, any time you want to add a little texture to your dish, think about trying some Jicama. It's mild enough that it won't overpower anything, but it's got enough flavor that it will contribute more than say your average canned water chestnut.
When buying Jicama, pick the ones that have smooth unblemished light brown skins. They shouldn't be too wet, or they get slimy (a point to remember if you have half a Jicama left-don't store it in a plastic bag-just put it in your crisper unwrapped and discard the top 1/4' inch or so when you go to use the rest). A Jicama peel is pretty tough (and inedible-be sure to get rid of it all), so I recommend using a knife instead of a traditional potato peeler to peel it. A heavy duty Oxo peeler works well, other than that-stick with the knife.
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I've made a similar salad (minus the honey and sweet red pepper)many a time. This is a truly refreshing salad and especially good if you suffer from "the munchies".
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