Orange And Jicama Salad

Noah and I are cooking up all kinds of good things. I try to have him make two or three things at time. One, we are making a meal, and two, I am keeping him busy while our foods are cooking. A phrase I learned many moons ago, that was posted on the walls of every restaurant I ever worked in, “Time to lean, time to clean”. I have Noah cleaning too. He’s got to learn, right?!

One day he wanted to make gourmet hamburgers. No problem. We did and they came out great. But I also had him make a healthy salad as well, along with some spicy onion rings to go with his burger. Red Chili Onion Rings We made an orange jicama salad. I don’t think Noah had ever had jicama before, but now he has, and he likes it.

Jicama is a round, turnip shaped tuber shaped vegetable popular in Mexican, Central American and Southwestern foods. Jicama—also called Chinese yam, yam bean root, Mexican potato, fon goot, or sicama. It’s often described as a cross between a potato and an apple. It’s low in carbs and calories, making it a healthy alternative to potatoes. Rich in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants, it offers numerous health benefits, such as aiding digestion, boosting the immune system, and supporting heart health.

In the garden, the jicama grows on a vine up to 20 feet tall, but the only edible part of the plant is the bulbous root underground, which can be as small as a Gala apple or grow as big as two fists together. This plant thrives in areas where it’s hot all year round, such as Mexico and South America. Harvested for centuries in those regions, jicama is now grown in parts of Asia and the Philippines.

Because the flesh is so porous, jicama picks up flavors well. Marinate it with citrus and your favorite spices or add chunks to a salad. Or make it the main component and use a tangy dressing to give it flair. Jicama goes great with greens, olives, avocado, hummus, lime, grilled fish, and roasted pork. It can be sliced thinly and added to a sandwich for some crunch; it can also be used in place of a corn tortilla for tacos. I have only eaten jicama raw. I never knew you could actually cook it, but apparently you can.

Cooking jicama proves tasty, too, though it needs a gentle touch when it comes to heat. Instead, pan fry over medium-low heat, steam lightly, or roast until just tender. Add it to the end of the cooking process if you’re making something like chili or a Mexican-style soup. Jicama is similar in texture to an apple and you can keep that famous crunch as long as you don’t overcook it.

Jicama and Orange Salad

2 cups jicama, peeled and sliced into thin strips

1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin matchsticks

4 green onions, chopped

1 TBSP lime juice

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 TBSP garlic

2 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP orange olive oil, optional;

2 TBSP orange balsamic vinegar, optional or white balsamic vinegar

1 orange, peeled and cut into sections

1-2 TBSP honey

1 avocado, cut into chunks

Combine the oils(s), vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes and honey together and mix together well. Set aside.

Toss the jicama, oranges, cilantro and red pepper. Gently fold in the avocado. Add just enough of the dressing to coat the vegetables, and gently toss. You do not want to mush up the avocado. Chill until ready to eat.

This cool and refreshing salad is perfect for the dog days of summer. It will definitely help bring down the mercury a bit. Enjoy.

Have a great day and make every day great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.