Jicama Salad
It's happening. It's not that obvious yet, but Fall is coming. It will be late as usual. Summer doesn't give up without a fight down here in Texas, but eventually, Fall will be here. There have been some promising signs: cooler nights, less humidity and the sunlight seems to shine from a different angle, casting a richer, more golden glow.
But for now, the days are still hot, which means meals are still light around here. The heat just about kills my appetite, which explains why I've been absent lately. If there is one time of year where I have the hardest time getting into the kitchen regularly, it's during the summer months.
So it comes as no surprise that every year, I enthusiastically welcome the end of Summer here in Texas. I'm already stocked up on canned pumpkin, cinnamon, nuts and flour. My harvest decorations get put away at the front of the storage closet every year so I can retrieve them quickly once I'm ready to decorate my hearth and mantle again. I've been bookmarking Fall recipes online and in my cookbooks.
But...
As much as I look forward to Fall, I force myself to not rush too quickly into Fall baking and cooking. I may despise the heat of Texas summers, but I love Summer's abundance of fresh produce and take advantage of it for as long as it lasts. We'll be swimming in root vegetables and winter squash soon enough, and it will only be a matter of time before we all start pining for the colorful variety of produce that only Summer can give.
I've eaten jicama many times before, but have never prepared it myself. As you can see, it's not the prettiest of vegetables. Joy of Cooking describes it as having an "uninspiring appearance", which couldn't be more accurate. But don't let aesthetics fool you. Underneath the tough, gnarly skin lies delightlfully crisp and juicy white flesh, very similar in texture to a radish, only without the bite.
I made this salad last weekend as a light side dish to a rich and decadent birthday dinner I made for Peter consisting of roasted beef tenderloin and twice baked potatoes. I mixed the jicama with equally crisp red onion, yellow and red bell peppers and cilantro, all of which contrasted beautifully against the jicama's white, matchsticked flesh. Dressed simply with some lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper, this salad was a refreshing example of the best of what Summer has to offer.
Jicama Salad
Adapted from Everyday FoodThis is more of a list of ingredients than it is an exact recipe since the size of all the vegetables in this dish can vary greatly, so use it more as a guide than a recipe.
I used a mandoline to slice the red onion as thinly as possible so that the onion flavor was milder throughout the salad. Jicama has a fibrous layer directly beneath the outer skin that must also be removed. The best way to peel jicama is to first cut it in quarters and then peel each individual piece. Use great care when cutting and peeling jicama since it is a tough and irregularly-shaped vegetable.
1 medium (approx. 1 1/2 lbs.) jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks (julienned)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice (1-2 limes)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepperIn a large bowl, combine the jicama, red onion, bell peppers, and cilantro. Toss lightly to distribute the vegetables and set aside.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine and emulsify. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.
|
Subscribe to RSS |
.jpg)
Beautiful colors in this salad! I love jicama!
Thank you for a wonderful birthday dinner! I loved the above recipe that you made!