Category: Salads

Servings: 4
Señor Anguiano instructed, “”The sweetest jicamas always have their leaves attached,”” when she told me how to prepare this effortless salad at her vegetable booth in Guadalajara’s huge Mercado Libertad. Jicama salads are the favorites of her teenage daughters, who are always watching their weight. This dressing tops their list because it contains no oil. Notice the similarity between Mexican salads and salsas. When this salad is flnely chopped it makes a flne fresh salsa. In the Fall when pomegranates are in season, sprinkle the salad with red seeds.

Ingredients
3 red onion slices, 1/8 inch thick
1 jicama, 4 to 5 inches in diameter
3 navel oranges
3 chopped serrano chiles, or ½ teaspoon chile powder (or to taste depending upon variety)
2 Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon kosher salt 6 grinds of black pepper
1 pomegranate

Directions
1. Cut the onion slices into eighths, pie-style. Put into a bowl of cold water to soak and become mild. 2. Peel the jicama with a sharp knife. Cut the tuber in half and slice both halves into 1/8-inch slices. Julienne. Put into a bowl.
2. Peel the oranges and cut into sections, leaving behind the white membrane. (Do this step over the bowl with the jicama to catch the juices.) Mix in the chile, cilantro, salt, and freshly ground pepper.
3. Drain the onion and pat dry with paper towels. Add to the jicama mixture. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Stir well before serving and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if available.

Servings: 6
Source: From “The Vegetarian Table India” by Yamuna Devi
Called bandgobhi kachambar, this Gujarati salad is served in small portions at room temperature as a relish, or hot, in vegetable-sized portions, as a side dish. Peanuts are widely used in Gujarat. Here the toasted nuts glisten among the fine shreds of wilted cabbage. This so-simple, so-good salad is slightly hot and sweet, the cast of Gujarati flavors including ginger, chilies, mustard seeds, curry leaves, sugar, and lime juice.

Ingredients
1½ pounds Savoy or green cabbage
1-inch piece fresh ginger
1 or 2 jalapeño chilies
1½ tablespoons ghee or peanut oil
2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
10 to 15 fre5h curry leaves
2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
½ tablespoon sugar
1 cup peanuts, toasted
julienned zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
salt and cracked black Malabar pepper

Directions
Core and very finely shred the cabbage. Peel and cut the ginger into paper-thin matchsticks. Halve, seed, and cut the jalapeño into a thin julienne.

Heat the ghee or oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat; add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the ginger, chilies, and curry leaves and fry for about 30 seconds. Add the cabbage, carrots, and sugar. Stir-fry until the cabbage begins to wilt and turns bright green; 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a salad bowl. Mix in the peanuts, lime zest and juice, cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Servings: 6
Source: Adapted from Asian Flavors (Williams-Sonoma, 2000) by Joyce Jue
Green papaya, an immature cousin of the common papaya is used in its unripe state as a salad vegetable. Its mild tart flavor and unexpected crunchy texture highlight this Asian coleslaw. if green papaya is not available, green mango, daikon (Japanese radish) or jicama will work. Whole green papaya and packaged pre-shredded green papaya (which makes this a lot easier), may be found at Asian markets. Chinese glazed beef jerky makes a great substitute for the traditional homemade grilled dried beef. It is available in Chinese and Vietnamese markets labeled as sweet dried beef jerky. Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients
6 cup finely shredded green papaya or 1½ lb green papaya
1 med carrot, fine julienne
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp chopped rau ram (Vietnamese mint) or fresh mint
4 oz Chinese glazed beef jerky, cut into thin strips with scissors
4 Tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
Shrimp Chips (optional) for garnish

Directions
Put the shredded papaya and carrots in a bowl of ice water for ten minutes to crisp it.

Drain the papaya and carrots well; pat dry and put into a large mixing bowl. Add the cilantro, rau ram or mint, and the glazed beef jerky, and Nuoc Mam Chanh; toss lightly to evenly coat. Allow the salad to sit for 10 minutes to absorb the flavors. Transfer the salad to a serving platter by using tongs to pick up the salad and shake it gently to drain the extra liquid clinging to the papaya. Arrange on a plate with the chopped peanuts on top. Garnish with the optional shrimp chips.

Tip: When using a whole green papaya, cut it in half, lengthwise, then peel and scrape out the seeds. With a Japanese mandolin use the thinnest blade and cut it into fine julienne strips (no thicker than 1/8-inch). There is also a special serrated edge tool available in Asian grocery store for shredding.

Note: Shrimp chips are available in Asian markets pre-fried and ready to eat. To make them fresh, buy the dried shrimp chips, sometimes called prawn crackers. They look like dried dehydrated chips. Bring 2 cups of vegetable oil in a saucepan to 365°. When it is hot, drop a few chips into the oil. They should expand fully and float to the surface within 10 seconds. With a strainer, scoop them out and drain on paper towels. Cool. Store in an airtight container and it should keep for a few days.

Nuoc Mam Chanh (sour lime vinaigrette) 2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or sambal oeleck 1 clove garlic, finely minced 2 tablespoons sugar 1½ tablespoons lime juice with pulp 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce

In a bowl, mix together the Sriracha sauce, garlic, sugar, lime juice, rice vinegar, and fish sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings; set aside

Servings: —

Ingredients
5 juice oranges
1 lg fennel bulb
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
Cut a slice from top and bottom of each orange to expose pulp and cut peel and pith from oranges, working from top to bottom. Cut oranges crosswise into ¼ inch thick slices and transfer to a bowl with any juice.

Trim off fennel stalks flush with bulb and halve bulb lengthwise. Remove most of core from bulb by making an inverted “v” shape, leaving enough core to keep layers intact. Thinly slice bulb lengthwise with a mandoline or other manual slicer and toss with oranges, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Let salad stand, stirring occasionally, until fennel is slightly wilted, about 20 minutes. Drizzle with oil.

Gourmet

Servings: —
Source: Coke Farm

Ingredients
1 lg or two sm celery roots
1 lemon, juiced
1 Tbsp mayo, or to taste
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp vinegar (rice or white wine)
3 Tbsp oil (sunflower, walnut)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Peel, wash and grate celery root and immediately drizzle with lemon juice to prevent oxidation.

Add mayo, mustard, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and stir.

Will keep in refrigerator for 2-3 days. This salad has a refreshing flavor and goes very well with fish.

P.S. Celery root is delicious cubed in soups and stews. When I prepare mashed potatoes, I sometimes substitute some celery root for potatoes. It gives the dish a sweet, nutty flavor