Carrot and Jicama Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

A couple of weeks ago, I shared the delicious recipe that we had for my birthday dinner, the Grilled Tilapia with Spicy Mango Salsa.  I promised to give you the recipe for the Carrot and Jicama Salad as well, and here it is!

It is super fresh and light, colorful, and a good side dish for almost heavy item.  Besides, it stays crisp even when dressed, so it is a great make-ahead salad.  Nice!  Also, everyone will think it is extremely fancy and hard to make, but with just a couple of ingredients, you will know better.  :)

Carrot and Jicama Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Healthful Cooking, by Mary Abbott Hess, Dana Jacobi & Marie Simmons

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. ground cumin 
• 3 Tbs. fresh lime juice 
• 2 Tbs. canola oil 
• 1 Tbs. minced, seeded jalapeño chili 
• 1 tsp. minced garlic 
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt  
• 1 large or 2 medium jicamas, about 3/4 lb. 
• 3 carrots, about 10 oz., peeled 
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro 

Directions

1.  In a small, dry fry pan over medium-low heat, warm the cumin just until fragrant, about 20 seconds.  Transfer to a small bowl.

2.  Add the lime juice, canola oil, jalapeño, garlic and salt and whisk until blended.  Set the lime vinaigrette aside.

3.  Peel and prep the jicama by cutting into large wedges.  If you are unsure how to prep jicama, check out my infographic from this post!

4.  Using a food processor fitted with the shredding disk or the largest holes of a box grater-shredder, shred the carrots and jicama wedges.

5.  In a large bowl, combine the shredded carrot and jicama with the cilantro.

6.  Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss gently to mix.

7.  Divide the salad evenly among small plates or bowls. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

And that's it!  Please excuse the very few step-by-step pictures in this post, but as I mentioned before, my mom and sister made this for my birthday.  A delicious salad without any work?  Only on my birthday!

Enjoy!