Heck of a Jicama Salad (now that you know what the heck a jicama is!)



Now that we’ve gone over the nitty gritty technique of how to cut a jicama, it’s time to get to the good stuff – the recipe. Jicama is a pretty versatile ingredient because of its mild flavor. Some people whisk up a simple lime vinaigrette to poor over julienned jicama for a raw, healthy take on fries. Other people chop up jicama and sprinkle it over their salad for a nice crisp crunch. This recipe uses jicama the way I like it best – as the basis for what is essentially a much cooler, hipper, tastier version of a slaw. It’s kind of like taking those jicama “fries” I just mentioned and putting them over a bed of lettuce. It’s sweet without added sugars, crunchy and crisp without any vats of oil, and bursting at the seams with flavor. If you’ve never had jicama before, this is a great first recipe to try. Once you do, let me know that you’re ready for the next step up with this other great jicama salad recipe I have waiting (im)patiently in the wings (this one, thai inspired)!



Heck of Jicama Salad
This salad is crisp and refreshing, sweet and healthy. You’ll love it, and love the way you feel after eating it. Nothing could be better on a hot, summer day. (Ok, maybe ice cream, but really, there’s never a bad time for ice cream, so we’ll just ignore that for now. Jicama salad, all the way!)

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 35 minutes (including chopping the jicama) plus 15 minutes down time
Cook Time: 0 minutes

The Ingredients
½ large bulb jicama root, peeled and julienned
a sprinkling of coarse kosher salt
½ cup lime juice
1-2 hearts of romaine, coarsely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1

The Method
Place the jicama sticks in a very large bowl and sprinkle with salt and 2-4 tablespoons lime juice. Toss to coat, then fill the bowl completely with cold water. Let the jicama sit for 15 minutes before draining well.

Meanwhile, stir together 2-4 tablespoons of lime juice with the cilantro and cumin. Whisk in the olive oil to emulsify. Arrange the lettuce on a serving platter and top with the drained jicama. Pour the cilantro-lime dressing over the jicama as evenly as possible, and serve.

Leftovers may be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.


Notes:
1I used a lime-infused olive oil to amp up the lime flavor. If you have access to this, it’s phenomenal, but if not, regular olive oil will do just fine.

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