Orange-Jicama Salads

A bright Mexican-inspired salad that plays sweet citrus against crunchy jicama and creamy avocado. Three components do the work: sliced oranges for sweet juice and color, julienned jicama for crisp water-chestnut-like crunch, and sliced avocado for richness. All three sit on mixed salad greens and get tied together with an orange vinaigrette.

Jicama is the surprise ingredient for cooks who have not used it before. It is a Mexican root vegetable with crisp, slightly sweet white flesh that holds up to dressing without going limp. Peeled and cut into matchsticks, it tastes like an apple-pear-water-chestnut hybrid and adds the textural contrast that makes this salad more than a fruit plate.

The orange dressing is a quick shake-it-up emulsion: vegetable oil, fresh orange juice and zest, lemon juice for acid, a touch of sugar to balance, dry mustard for body, and salt. Make it just before serving so the citrus reads bright.

Chef Tips

• Peel jicama with a knife rather than a peeler; the skin and the layer just underneath are tough and fibrous.
• Slice oranges with the membrane removed (supreme cut) for a cleaner, less stringy salad.
• Add the avocado at the very last second; sliced ahead, it browns within minutes.
• Shake the dressing well right before pouring so the oil and juice emulsify; they separate fast.

Variations

• Add thinly sliced red onion or pickled red onion for a tart bite.
• Swap mixed greens for butter lettuce or arugula for a different texture base.
• Sprinkle on roasted pumpkin seeds or chili powder and lime zest for a Tajin-style finish.