Jicama is one of those vegetables that doesn’t get used enough. I love how cool, sweet, and crisp this veggie is when eaten raw. One of my favorite ways to use it is in a salad or as a dipper for dips. This salad is Mexican inspired with the use of Tajin and chili peppers. The heat from the chilis contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of orange and creaminess of the cubed avocados.
Dressing:
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup lime juice
2 small garlic cloves, diced
½ Serrano chili finely chopped
1 tablespoon Tajin
1 teaspoon salt
Salad:
¼ cup toasted pepitas
1 small jicama
2-3 mini Persian cucumbers
2 navel oranges
1-2 heads little gem lettuce
1 shallot
1 Serrano chili
1 avocado
Herbs of your choice for sprinkling on top
4 teaspoons Tajin
Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon), for sprinkling
Make the vinaigrette:
In the jar of an immersion blender or in a standard blender, purée the oil, lime juice, garlic, serrano chile, tajín and salt until smooth and emulsified. (Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a jar, cover and shake well to combine.) Set aside.
Prepare the salad:
Heat the pumpkin seeds in a small skillet over low, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a small plate and set aside to cool.
Using a sharp knife, trim the ends and peel off the brown skin from the jicama. Trim and peel the pineapple. Cut the jicama and pineapple lengthwise in half. Using a mandoline or a sharp chef’s knife, cut the jicama, pineapple and cucumbers into very thin slices (about 24 slices of jicama and 16 slices of pineapple). Using a sharp knife, remove the peel and pith from the oranges, then cut them into 8 slices each. Separate the leaves of the lettuce (you should have at least 20). Thinly slice the onion into rings and save the small ones from the center (save the remainder for another use). Thinly slice the serranos. Slice avocado in half and remove pit. Cross hatch cubes with a knife.
Divide the jicama slices among 4 large plates, followed by the pineapple, cucumber and orange slices. Top with the lettuce leaves, then 2 or 3 red onion rings each, the avocado cubes,toasted pepitas and serrano slices. Sprinkle with the herbs and flowers, if using, and finish with the tajín, a drizzle of dressing and some flaky salt at the end. (Alternatively, layer the ingredients on a large wide platter.) Serve any remaining dressing on the side.
