recipes: jicama (three salads)
These recipes are for coffeeandink.
I suppose it's possible to cook jicama, but I can't imagine why one would want to; the best thing about it is the crunch. Well, and the wonderful sweet taste, but really? It's the crunch. Which makes it the perfect thing for winter salads.
All of these salads will serve 2-3 as a meal, 4-6 as an accompaniment to something else.
avocado, jicama, and orange salad
(adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)
I love this salad. If you can't get satsumas, you can use navel oranges, a small grapefruit, or whatever sweet-tart citrusy fruit you can get your hands on.
8 oz jicama (about half a smallish one)
4 large radishes
1 large or 2 small avocados
3 or 4 satsuma oranges
2 big handfuls of spinach
4 Tbs lime juice
pinch salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Peel the jicama; slice it into thin rounds, then into narrow strips. Wash the radishes thoroughly and slice them the same way. Peel and slice the avocado. Peel the oranges and divide into sections or slice into rounds. Toss jicama, radishes, avocado, oranges, and spinach together; sprinkle with lime juice, cayenne, and salt, and toss again gently to combine.
jicama and cucumber with chile and lime
(adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)
Really, really, really easy, and keeps better than most salads (though that's not saying much).
8 oz jicama
2 small cucumbers
4 Tbs lime juice
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and finely diced
Peel the jicama and cut into small cubes. Peel the cucumbers, quarter them lengthwise, and dice into cubes about the same size. Toss everything together.
solstice salad
(adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special)
Do not be put off by the fact that this salad involves beets and raisins. The whole thing makes for a wonderful sweet-soft-crisp-tart combination that balances nicely with thick creamy soups or heavy roasts.
If you're making this for one and will have leftovers, 1) don't toss the veggies with the greens, and 2) don't add the dressing; keep the three separate until it's time to actually combine and eat them. Slightly annoying, yes, but not nearly so annoying as limp, soggy salad.
6 oz mixed baby greens or mesclun mix
3 smallish beets (about 1/2 lb)
1 Tbs cider vinegar
salt and pepper
1/2 c. raisins (regular or golden)
1/4 apple cider or orange juice
1/4 c. pine nuts
2 oranges (or 3-4 satsumas)
12 oz jicama
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 small red onion (optional)
dressing:
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Roast the beets until easily pierced with a knife; when cool enough to handle, cut off the stem ends, rub or pull off the peels, and cut into thin wedges. Toss with vinegar, salt, and pepper, and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the juice and raisins to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside. Toast the pine nuts. Peel and section or slice the oranges. Slice the jicama into strips (should come to about 2 c.). In a small bowl, toss jicama with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper (start with about 1/8 tsp salt). Thinly slice the red onion.
Whisk dressing ingredients together in small bowl.
To assemble the salad for formal presentation: arrange greens on a platter or in a wide, shallow bowl; remove beets and jicama from their marinades and spread them over greens; scatter on the oranges, onion, raisins, and pine nuts; drizzle about half the dressing on top and serve the rest on the side. Very pretty.
For less formal occasions, throw it all in a bowl, toss, and eat.
Next up in here's luck recipes on demand™: soups and other things to do with beans.
I suppose it's possible to cook jicama, but I can't imagine why one would want to; the best thing about it is the crunch. Well, and the wonderful sweet taste, but really? It's the crunch. Which makes it the perfect thing for winter salads.
All of these salads will serve 2-3 as a meal, 4-6 as an accompaniment to something else.
avocado, jicama, and orange salad
(adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)
I love this salad. If you can't get satsumas, you can use navel oranges, a small grapefruit, or whatever sweet-tart citrusy fruit you can get your hands on.
8 oz jicama (about half a smallish one)
4 large radishes
1 large or 2 small avocados
3 or 4 satsuma oranges
2 big handfuls of spinach
4 Tbs lime juice
pinch salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Peel the jicama; slice it into thin rounds, then into narrow strips. Wash the radishes thoroughly and slice them the same way. Peel and slice the avocado. Peel the oranges and divide into sections or slice into rounds. Toss jicama, radishes, avocado, oranges, and spinach together; sprinkle with lime juice, cayenne, and salt, and toss again gently to combine.
jicama and cucumber with chile and lime
(adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)
Really, really, really easy, and keeps better than most salads (though that's not saying much).
8 oz jicama
2 small cucumbers
4 Tbs lime juice
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and finely diced
Peel the jicama and cut into small cubes. Peel the cucumbers, quarter them lengthwise, and dice into cubes about the same size. Toss everything together.
solstice salad
(adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special)
Do not be put off by the fact that this salad involves beets and raisins. The whole thing makes for a wonderful sweet-soft-crisp-tart combination that balances nicely with thick creamy soups or heavy roasts.
If you're making this for one and will have leftovers, 1) don't toss the veggies with the greens, and 2) don't add the dressing; keep the three separate until it's time to actually combine and eat them. Slightly annoying, yes, but not nearly so annoying as limp, soggy salad.
6 oz mixed baby greens or mesclun mix
3 smallish beets (about 1/2 lb)
1 Tbs cider vinegar
salt and pepper
1/2 c. raisins (regular or golden)
1/4 apple cider or orange juice
1/4 c. pine nuts
2 oranges (or 3-4 satsumas)
12 oz jicama
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 small red onion (optional)
dressing:
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Roast the beets until easily pierced with a knife; when cool enough to handle, cut off the stem ends, rub or pull off the peels, and cut into thin wedges. Toss with vinegar, salt, and pepper, and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the juice and raisins to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside. Toast the pine nuts. Peel and section or slice the oranges. Slice the jicama into strips (should come to about 2 c.). In a small bowl, toss jicama with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper (start with about 1/8 tsp salt). Thinly slice the red onion.
Whisk dressing ingredients together in small bowl.
To assemble the salad for formal presentation: arrange greens on a platter or in a wide, shallow bowl; remove beets and jicama from their marinades and spread them over greens; scatter on the oranges, onion, raisins, and pine nuts; drizzle about half the dressing on top and serve the rest on the side. Very pretty.
For less formal occasions, throw it all in a bowl, toss, and eat.
Next up in here's luck recipes on demand™: soups and other things to do with beans.