Cooking with Larue: Sweet & Spicy Jicama Salad with Pumpkin Seeds, Mint, Avocado & Arugula

Monday, July 6, 2015

Sweet & Spicy Jicama Salad with Pumpkin Seeds, Mint, Avocado & Arugula

Sweet & Spicy Jicama Salad with Pumpkin Seeds, Mint, Avocado & Arugula

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Easy

Sweet & Spicy Jicama Salad with Pumpkin Seeds, Mint, Avocado & Arugula

You will not believe the complexity of flavor and crunch with this unique salad. Better yet, as jicama is widely available nearly year long, you can make it anytime. Jicama, native to Mexico, is part of the legume family and grows on vines. It is the tuberous root of the plant. The exterior is yellow and papery; while its inside is a creamy white that’s mild in flavor with a sweet, nutty taste (think of it as a cross between a water chestnut and a pear). Jicama provides a good deal of crunch in this salad along with the roasted pumpkin seed. Next time you are looking for a healthy different salad to serve – look no further than this gem!

A few of the ingredients in this fabulous salad

½ C dried shelled pumpkin seeds
2 Tb olive oil (divided)
1½ tsp salt (divided)
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp cayenne pepper – more to suit (divided)
2 cobs corn
3-4 radishes, thinly sliced
6-8 cherry tomatoes sliced in quarters or half, depending on size
1¾ lb. jicama
1/3 C packed fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/3 C packed fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
3 Tb fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
2.5 oz. fresh baby arugula
2 avocados, diced

Toss pumpkin seeds, ½ tsp each of oil & salt, 1/4 tsp allspice and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Roast on parchment-lined baking sheet in 350 degree F oven until light golden brown, 8 minutes. Let cool.

Punkin' seeds

Cut kernels off the corncobs, toss with 1 Tb olive oil and pinch of cayenne pepper. Spread on baking sheet, roast at 425 degree F until just tender, about 4-5 minutes. Let cool. Corn could be added raw, completely uncooked, if fabulous summer time corn from your farmer's market. Using a sharp chef’s knife and following the contours of the jicama, peel, quarter and thinly slice; using mandolin, cut into match-size strips.

Sliced jicama and the mandolin

In a large bowl, combine jicama, pumpkin seed mixture, corn, radishes, tomatoes, cilantro and mint. Toss with lime juice and remaining olive oil, salt and cayenne pepper. If you do not plan serving for a few hours, hold on adding the pumpkin seed mixture. Just before serving, add chopped avocado and arugula. Taste and adjust salt, cayenne pepper, lime and olive oil as needed.