What: Jicama Salad with Orange and Cilantro
Where: The Art of Simple Food
Who: Alice Waters

Wonderfully refreshing and crisp, with intermittent bursts of sweet, this salad is a winner.  It’s accompaniments are brilliant: cilantro, paprika (or ancho chile powder), lime, salt, and olive oil. I imagine that smoked paprika would be an excellent choice as well. Add more spice in winter and serve at room temperature. Served well-chilled in summer.

The trick is to use only about 1/2 pound of jicama, otherwise the proportion of jicama to oranges will be unbalanced. The jicama is easily peeled with a potato peeler. Waters recommends cutting the jicama into 1/4 inch sticks, but I went with the speedy bite-size chop.