In Which the Crispy Cook Wonders, What the Heck is a Jicama?
1 voto | 731 views
0 evaluaciónes | 1 comentario
%20is%20a%20boring%20brown%20blob%20that%20looks%20like%20something%20you'd%20whack%20off%20a%20gigantic%20witch's%20chin.%20Or%20perhaps%20a%20cow%20plop.%20Unfortunate%20visual%20associations%20aside,%20however,%20there%20is%20hidden%20inside%20the%20humble%20jicama%20a%20juicy,%20crunchy%20flesh%20that%20tastes%20to%20me%20like%20a%20turnip%20without%20the%20bitterness%20or%20a%20slightly%20sweet%20potato%20without%20the%20starch.%20Refreshing%20is%20about%20the%20best%20adjective%20for%20this%20humble%20tuber%20and%20I%20am%20delighted%20to%20have%20discovered%20its%20delights%20this%20past%20week.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20Cook%20the%20Books%20Club%20is%20currently%20reading%20Laura%20Esquivel's%20bestselling%20foodie%20novel%20%22Like%20Water%20for%20Chocolate%22,%20and%20I%20wanted%20to%20explore%20Mexican%20cuisine%20a%20bit%20before%20blogging%20up%20my%20post.%20My%20local%20library%20had%20a%20copy%20of%20Diane%20Kennedy's%20classic%20cookbook%20%22The%20Art%20of%20Mexican%20Cooking%22,%20so%20I%20had%20a%20lovely%20couple%20of%20hours%20escaping%20to%20Mexico's%20more%20gentle%20climate%20while%20the%20snow%20and%20wind%20blew%20against%20my%20windows%20the%20other%20day.%20I%20have%20a%20number%20of%20recipes%20I%20am%20interested%20in%20trying%20out,%20but%20first%20I%20wanted%20to%20experiment%20with%20a%20jicama.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EJicama%20is%20the%20root%20of%20a%20native%20Mexican%20vine,%20Pachyrhizus%20erosus.%20The%20leaves%20and%20seeds%20are%20poisonous%20and%20the%20seeds%20even%20contain%20rotenone,%20a%20common%20insecticide%20ingredient,%20but%20the%20tuberous%20root%20is%20entirely%20edible.%20It%20has%20become%20a%20popular%20vegetable%20in%20Southeast%20Asia%20and%20China,%20going%20under%20a%20variety%20of%20other%20names,%20and%20is%20enjoyed%20both%20raw%20and%20cooked.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EKennedy's%20book%20had%20two%20recipes%20for%20snacks,%20or%20botanas,%20using%20jicamas.%20In%20the%20first,%20sliced%20jicama%20is%20topped%20with%20finely%20chopped%20onion,%20lime%20juice,%20toasted%20peanuts,%20chiles%20and%20crumbled%20queso%20anejo%20cheese.%20The%20second%20recipe%20for%20a%20Jicama%20Pico%20de%20Gallo%20was%20a%20recipe%20from%20the%20western%20Mexican%20region%20of%20Jalisco%20on%20the%20Pacific%20Ocean%20and%20called%20for%20a%20mixture%20of%20cubed%20jicama%20mixed%20with%20oranges%20and%20a%20spicy%20lime%20dressing.%20According%20to%20Kennedy,%20this%20second%20recipe%20is%20traditionally%20served%20with%20little%20toothpicks%20and%20a%20side%20of%20beer%20or%20tequila%20but%20I%20had%20plans%20to%20pair%20it%20with%20a%20rice,%20beans%20and%20corn%20tortilla%20casserole%20I%20had%20popped%20in%20the%20oven%20for%20our%20evening%20meal.%20I%20had%20to%20substitute%20some%20ingredients%20around%20but%20the%20result%20was%20a%20very%20refreshing,%20citrusy%20accompaniment%20to%20our%20meal%20and%20I%20offer%20my%20adapted%20recipe%20from%20Kennedy's%20book%20below:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMix%20lime%20juice,%20salt,%20paprika%20and%20cayenne%20pepper%20together.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMix%20jicama%20and%20oranges%20gently%20in%20glass%20bowl.%20Pour%20dressing%20over%20and%20toss%20gently.%20Let%20stand%20at%20least%201-2%20hours%20to%20mingle%20flavors.%20Sprinkle%20with%20cilantro.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EServes%204-6%20as%20a%20side%20dish.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIf%20you%20are%20interested%20in%20joining%20our%20little%20virtual%20foodie%20book%20club,%20Cook%20the%20Books,%20please%20do%20check%20out%20the%20book.%20It's%20a%20great%20read%20and%20then%20we%20all%20cook%20up%20something%20inspired%20by%20our%20reading%20by%20the%20deadline%20of%20March%2026,%202010.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIn%20the%20meantime,%20I%20am%20sending%20over%20this%20jicama%20post%20to%20Weekend%20Herb%20Blogging,%20an%20weekly%20blog%20event%20about%20the%20magical%20Vegetable%20Kingdom%20which%20is%20headquartered%20at%20Cook%20(Almost)%20Anything%20At%20Least%20Once%20and%20guest%20hosted%20this%20week%20by%20Dhanggit's%20Kitchen.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}
Comentarios
07 de Junio de 2010This is actually not the first time I have heard of the jicama. A friend at work eats them all the time. I have tried it raw with a little lime juice sprinkled on. This recipe looks really appetizing. I will have to try it.