Jicama-Orange Salad

Jicama-Orange Salad

Jicama is the unsung hero of root vegetables. It’s high in fiber and vitamins, low in calories, and tastes like a cross between a raw potato and an apple. It’s super refreshing when dressed in citrus. Many Americans don’t know what to make of the root. But in Mexico, it’s drizzled with lime and chili pepper. In this recipe we cut peel and cut the jicama into sticks, drizzle it with lime and serve it with orange segments. You can add some avocado, cilantro, or anything else you like to it. Have fun getting to know this special tuber, and up your salad game some!

Serves 4. 

Ingredients:
1 medium (roughly 1 pound) jicama
Juice of 1 1/2 limes
Kosher salt
1 large Naval orange
Flaky salt, such as Maldon (optional)
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 ripe avocado (optional)

1. Using a small paring knife, peel away the brown skin and fibrous exterior layer of the jicama. Use a chef knife to cut the jicama in half. Lay each half on its cut side, and cut it into 1/4 inch thick slices. Rotate the slices, and cut into 1/2-inch thick sticks. Place them in a large bowl. 

2. Squeeze the juice of 1 to 1 1/2 limes over the jicama and toss well. Season with salt, to taste. 

3. Using the same small paring knife, cut the skin off of the orange, exposing the orange flesh. Cut the orange in half and then cut each half into 1/8 inch thick slices. If you choose, cut an avocado into thin slices, season with lime and salt.

4. Place a few slices of orange (and avocado, if using) on a plate, add some jicama, season with flaky salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and a little olive oil.