Orange  jicama  salad

I can remember the first time I had jicama. I was either in Kindergarten or the 1st grade and one of my classmates shared some with me from her lunchbox. I remember thinking to myself... "Is this apple?" I didn't realize until my recent trip to Arizona was that what I had eaten was jicama soaked in lime juice. My husband and I took part in a 10 course tasting menu at a traditional Mexican restaurant in Scottsdale. This salad was one of the courses. As soon as I took my first bite I thought back to that time in elementary school all those years ago. The flavor was that distinctive. This salad is wonderful as a small side to beef or pork and it is perfect by itself for a small snack. It is refreshing and simple.

Makes about 4-5 servings

2 oranges (just the flesh of the oranges along with the juice)
1 medium sized jicama
2 limes
2 teaspoons of olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of chile or chili powder

Let's start off with the jicama. A regular potato peeler won't do because the outside is rather tough. So it is best to use a large sharp knife. Remove all of the peel.

Cut the jicama into matchsticks and place them into a bowl. Squeeze the juice of 2 limes over the jicama and set it aside.

Now I am going to "supreme" the oranges or remove the flesh from the membrane of the oranges. It makes for a cleaner flavor when eating it with the jicama and for fancier presentation.

A sharp knife and steady hands is all you need...it doesn't have to be perfect. Squeeze any leftover juice from the orange membrane over the jicama that has been sitting in the lime juice.

Now you can assemble the salad however you wish but finish it with a splash of the soaking liquid, a light drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of chile or chili powder for a little heat.

It is beautiful, bright and wonderful for Summer.

Enjoy!