Jicama, Beet, Orange, and Caramelized Peanut Christmas Salad

Ensalada de Navidad

Serves 6 Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 30 to 35 minutes Vinaigrette can be made up to 5 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated (mix well before using); jicama, beets, and oranges can be prepped 1 day ahead, separately covered and refrigerated

This festive salad is a mainstay on Mexican Christmas tables. It vibrates with the different colors of the ingredients and contrasting flavors and textures. You get the watery crunch of raw jicama, the freshness of juicy oranges, and the sweetness of tender cooked beets, slicked with a vinaigrette sweetened with a bit of honey and topped with crunchy peanuts.

There are many versions, some including other fruits such as bananas, apples, or grapes; add or subtract as desired.

Also known as Mexican yam or turnip, jicama is a root vegetable that tastes similar to a fresh water chestnut, but sweeter and juicier. Look for jicama that is rock hard, with no sign of mold or moisture on the skin. Peel away the thin, beige-colored fibrous skin before using. The meat should be crisp and milky white. If it is beginning to brown, its time has passed, and rather than tasting glorious, it will be unpleasantly sour.

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium jicama (about 1¼ pounds), peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick sticks
• 3 pounds beets, cooked (see Mexican Cook’s Trick), peeled, and quartered
• 3 oranges, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick slices
• 1 cup coarsely chopped Caramelized Peanuts

1. Combine the vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly add the oils in a thin, steady stream, mixing with a whisk or a fork until emulsified.
2. Place the jicama, beets, and oranges in separate bowls and toss each with about one third of the vinaigrette. Arrange the ingredients in a pattern on a large platter. I like to do parallel stripes, and I often start with beets in the center, placing jicama on one side and oranges on the other. Sprinkle on the caramelized peanuts and drizzle any remaining vinaigrette on top.

MEXICAN COOK’S TRICK: To cook beets, cut off the greens and most of the stems, leaving about 1 inch. Don’t scrub them or cut off the thin root, or they will bleed their juices, sweetness, and color as they cook. Place them in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook until tender. Medium beets (about 2 inches in diameter) cook in 30 to 35 minutes. For this salad, you want them crunchy, so don’t overcook. Drain, let cool completely, then peel and cut.