Enjoy this refreshing winter fruit salad après ski?
Yes, technically it is winter. Yes, our kids are finishing up with winter break. Yes, I’m still trying to ski. However, the almost 50 degree weather this past weekend and the sun-baked snow made it feel like spring. And so I bring you what I call winter fruit salad in what I call “winter”. Alas, it is New England, and so I take whatever weather comes my way – which this week means back to single digit temperatures and more snow. It also means, I bring to you this yummy fruit salad to brighten your days as you plug along through the remainder of this wonderful season. Besides anyone can make a fruit salad in the summer. Try making one in February – not exactly high fruit season! This fruit salad is tropical, spicy, and light. It is great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snacks, and of course, to you can BRING IT anywhere. Enjoy!
I got this recipe from a great magazine – Cook’s Illustrated. I’ve gotten this magazine for years and I love it. It has really taught me how to cook. Each recipe goes through the trials and tribulations faced by the person creating the recipe. By reading the techniques of what to do and what not to do, I have learned a lot (like do not add herbs to this fruit salad unless you want to move into the salsa territory). I wish I went to some famous culinary institute to learn to cook, but for now, this type of learning will have to do.
Ingredients
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp grated lime zest plus 3 Tbsp juice (approx. 2 limes)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Pinch salt
12 oz. jicama, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
2 oranges
2 mangos, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2 inch dice
Method
1) Bring sugar, lime zest, lime juice, red pepper flakes, and salt to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat, stir in jicama, and let syrup cool for 20 minutes
2) Meanwhile, cut away peel and pith from oranges. Slice into 1/2 inch rounds, then cut rounds into 1/2 inch pieces. Place oranges and mangos in a large bowl.
3) When syrup with jicama is cool, pour over oranges and mangos and toss to combine. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving.
