Mixed Fruit and Jicama Salad with Raspberry Cilantro Vinaigrette

This is one of my all time favorite salads. It is a fantastic salad to serve with a Latin inspired menu. For me, the star of this salad is the jicama. If you have never had jicama, don't let that scare you away. Jicama is a root vegetable, sometimes called a Mexican or Chinese potato. That is what it looks like, a potato. It has a brown rough skin that you peel just like a potato. Inside it is the consistency of a potato, but it has a sweet crunchy taste. It is perfect raw in salads or on a veggie tray, because it won't turn brown and mushy on you. It has a crunch similar to a water chestnut and is wonderful thrown into a variety of Asian dishes such as a stir fry or mixed in a coleslaw. Let me know if you give it a try. 

Mixed Fruit and Jicama Salad with Raspberry Cilantro Vinaigrette
serves 6-8

For the vinaigrette:
1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 jar (12 ounces) Raspberry Preserves
1/3 cup fresh lime juice, about 3-4 limes
1  clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1  cup canola or vegetable oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cilantro, Raspberry preserves, lime juice, garlic, red wine vinegar, kosher salt and pepper. Process until smooth. With the processor running add the oil in a slow steady stream through the chute. Continue to process until emulsified. Pour into a jar and refrigerate until serving time.

For the salad:
12 cups of mixed salad greens (I used Baby Spring Mix and Romaine)
1/2 jicama, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
4  cups fruit, I used sliced strawberries, blueberries and mandarin oranges
1 package (4 ounce) crumbled feta or goat cheese
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

In a large bowl, combine the salad greens, jicama and red onion. Dress with desired amount of dressing. (Any leftover dressing can be kept for up to a week in the fridge.) Divide salad greens mixture evenly between plates. Top with fruit, cheese and pumpkin seeds. 

Enjoy!

Kim

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