“Throughout Mexico, you’ll find jicama – a crisp, refreshing, white-
fleshed root vegetable – eaten raw as a snack, sprinkled with chili powder.
Natives of the Yucatán peninsula also enjoy it paired with exotic fruit in
salads such as this one, which features red-fleshed blood oranges. Try this
chopped as a salsa for grilled fish, too.”

Serves 4-6

1 jicama, about 3/4 lb (375 g)
3 blood oranges
1 papaya (pawpaw) or mango or 1/4 pineapple
1 small red (Spanish) onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 dried habanero chile pepper, seeded and
finely chopped or ground to a powder,
or cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 bunch fresh cilantro (fresh  coriander),
about 3 oz (90 g), stemmed
1 bunch fresh mint, about 3 oz (90 g), stemmed

Using a paring knife, peel the jicama, including the fibrous layer just
beneath the skin. Thinly slice the flesh and then cut into thin strips 2
inches (5 cm) long and 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Place in a large bowl.
Working with 1 orange at a time and using a sharp knife, cut a slice off
the top and bottom of the oranges to reveal the fruit. Place each orange
upright on a cutting board and cut away the peel and any white mem-
brane. Then, holding the orange over the bowl with the jicama, cut
along either side of each segment to free it, letting the segments and any
juices fall into the bowl. If using a papaya, halve lengthwise, scoop out
and discard the seeds and peel the halves. If using a mango, peel it and
cut the flesh from the pit.
If using pineapple, cut away the peel and the tough core area. Cut the
papaya, mango, or pineapple into 1/2-inch (12-mm) dice; you should
have about 1 1/2 cups (9 oz/280 g). Add to the bowl.
Add the onion, salt, habanero chili or cayenne pepper, olive oil, lime
juice, cilantro and mint to the bowl. Toss gently to mix. Cover and
refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Featured Archive Recipes:
Fruit Salsas
Oodles of Oranges
Salads with Fruit
 

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