*** A WORD FROM THE KITCHEN ***
what is jicama? No I don't have the Hiccum-ups you pronounce
it hick-a-muh and I learned a few days ago that not only had
many people never tasted a jicama, there were more that've
never even seen let alone heard of it. Well you may have seen
it at the produce section but just never had any idea what it
was. I guess a good explanation of this veggie would be
something of a cross between and apple and a potato. Looks
like a giant brown root you would never consider eating but
definitely worth a slice open and sample.
Jicama is crisp, with just sweet enough of a taste. Like
potatoes, jicamas can be steamed, baked, boiled, mashed or
fried. Unlike potatoes, however, they can also be eaten raw.
Sliced into wide sticks, jicama makes a crunchy carrier for
guacamole and highly seasoned dips. Here is a great recipe
I just used in a Mexican buffet using diced jicama as well
as mango that had surprisingly tasty flavor and texture.
Hope I've turned some of you on to a new veggie!
Even better with fresh corn!!
Enjoy all!
Marzee
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RECIPE: CORN SALAD w/ MANGO & JICAMA
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INGREDIENTS:
4 cups frozen sweet corn
3 small mangoes, peeled, pitted and diced
1 1/2 lbs jicama, peeled and diced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
DIRECTIONS:
Cook corn and cool. Combine all ingredients in a medium
bowl and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until
cold. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
Serve cold.
Yield: 8 servings
Categories: Vegetables, Salads, side dishes, picnics
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MARZEE'S CORNER
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JICAMA BITS & BITES
Jicama acrually belongs to the legume or bean family
and is a popular dietary staple in Latin America, widely
grown in Mexico and Central America. There are many names
for Jicama including: the Mexican potato, Mexican yam bean,
ahipa, saa got, Chinese turnip, lo bok, and the Chinese
potato.
Jicama looks similar to a turnip or a large radish, and
it can be used as an alternative to the water chestnut.
Its skin is thin and can be gray, tan, or brown in color.
Additionally, it has a short root and contains white flesh.
The skin is typically peeled before eating it raw. Raw
jicama tastes similar to a pear or apple. It also does not
discolor when exposed to the open air for awhile. Because
of this, raw jicama is often used as an accompaniment to
raw vegetable platters. When jicama is used in cooking it
tends to take on the flavors of the ingredients that it
is being combined with. Therefore, jicama is a nice
complement to various stir-fry dishes because it blends
well with many vegetables and seasonings.
When purchasing jicama, select tubers that are firm and
have dry roots. Make sure that the jicama has an unblemished
skin and that is not bruised. Once purchased, store jicama
for up to two weeks in a plastic bag in your fridge.