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Dinner Tonight: Shrimp, Jicama, and Mango Salad

Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, July 21, 2008 at 5:15 PM

I first encountered jicama as a topping for great tacos. I was floored by the taste and texture—it had the crunch of an apple but none of the sweetness. Since I had a lot leftover, I wanted to see what else it could do. Most recipes with jicama involve the word "slaw," and this shrimp, jicama, and mango salad from Food and Wine isn't far removed from that. But the shrimp makes this less of a topping, more of a substantial side.

Besides some chopping, the only "cooking" is reserved for the shrimp—if you buy cooked shrimp, you can forget the stove. I had some frozen uncooked shrimp, which took all of two to three minutes in boiling water. This salad is better cold, so feel free to stick this in the freezer for ten minutes. It's the perfect side for a blazing hot summer day.

About the author: Nick Kindelsperger is a co-founder of The Paupered Chef, a blog dedicated to saving time and money while enjoying food in every way possible. He sells wine for a living and lives in Columbus, Ohio.

Shrimp, Jicama, and Mango

- serves 2-3 -

Adapted from Food and Wine

Ingredients

1/2 pound shelled shrimp, raw or cooked
1/2 small jicama, peeled, and diced into 1/4 inch squares
1 mango, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch squares
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Procedure

1. If you need to cook the shrimp, fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Toss in the shrimp and cook for three minutes, or until shrimp is very pink. Drain and toss in a bowl of ice water.

2. When cool, remove the tails. Slice the shrimp in half length-wise, then cross-wise, so you're left with four parts.

3. Toss the shrimp to a large bowl. Add the diced mango, diced jicama, and chopped cilantro.

4. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. When combined, pour the vinaigrette into the large bowl, and stir until thoroughly combined. Season with more salt if needed.

2 Comments | Tags: Dinner Tonight, jicama, mango, salad, seafood, shrimp

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