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Is it a salsa? .......... or a relish?.......... or a salad?
Funny you should ask! I use this delicious combination of fresh fruit, veggies and herbs as all three - a colorful, flavorful salsa, a unique, vibrant relish and also as a delightful salad with grilled meats, poultry and seafood.
It's quite the quintessential picture of summer, don't you think, with the sweet mangos, crunchy jicama, lovely green cucumbers, and zesty onion and red pepper and lime. A combination of fresh cilantro, basil and mint are the crowning touch and add a delightful vibrancy. I served it as a salad for lunch today and as relish for dinner on Grilled Glazed Salmon Burgers (recipe to come). It received a thumbs-up from all the taste testers and will be back on my menu, for sure!
P.S. If you'v never tried jicama, you're in for a treat! Common in South American cuisine, jicama is a white fleshed, root vegetable with a crunchy, refreshing texture, similar to a water chestnut. It's slightly sweet and is delicious eaten on it's own, with dips and hummus and in salads and salsas. Ask the produce person at your local market and they'll be able to help you find it. WARNING: it's a tad bit ugly but don't be fooled by the homely exterior - you know what they say about "the book and it's cover"!
Mango, Jicama & Cucumber Salsa/Relish/Salad
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon crushed corinader seed
1 cup diced* jicama
1 cup diced* English cucumber
1 cup diced* red bell pepper, about 1 medium pepper
½ cup diced* red onion
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablesoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1. Combine lime juice and zest, honey, cumin and coriander and sea salt; stir until well combined. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir gently; serve immediately. If preparing ahead of time store chopped ingredients separately in small zippered bags in refrigerator. Stir together just before serving. If you combine everything more than 30 minutes in advance the salsa will loose it's vibrant color. It will still taste delicious, just won't be as pretty.
Notes:
France@beyondthepeel says
I just bought a beautiful piece of halibut and this would be divine on it.
Annmarie Pipa says
this looks so pretty...and so yummy!! I make a similar dish but I use vinegar instead of honey...I bet that changes the flavor a lot! thanks for this.. I will try your recipe.
Dining Alone says
Whatever it is, it looks amazing. I love all the photos on your blog, they just make me feel good 🙂
Jen @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
Gorgeous salsa/dip! I would love to make this. Since I'm home now, we have no fruits or veggies. I think I need to get to a grocery store and fast!
Chatty Crone says
I pinned it - looked so good. sandie
Inside a British Mum's Kitchen says
Well honestly I could just eat it right out of the bowl, as wonderful as grilled salmon burgers sound - this is gorgeous!
Mary x
Pacheco Patty says
This is one beautiful Summery salad! I love the flavor and crunch of jicama. The colors in your photos are so vivid, just lovely;-)
The Mom Chef says
For me, one of the hallmarks of summer is fresh cucumber. I love it dearly. I've only had jicama when in Mexico and it was an interesting introduction. I'd be willing to give it a go with this recipe though.
Susan says
Beautiful combination. We have been eating more and more jicama. Our local produce lady that brings her wares into our park said she loves to eat it with just a few drops of honey. Great photos. Susan
Sandra says
This one is about to jump off the screen! It's summery and healthy and oh my I can't wait to make it. I've had jicama before and I love it, also love the addition of the black beans. Big virtual High 5 for you!!!
Kim says
To me, it's a salad!!!! And it's one h*** of it! It looks so good and the textures are multiples! Love jicama... Think I'm gonna give a try to your salsa-salad-relish, wathever it is!
The Café Sucré Farine says
Thanks Vicki, we thought it looked a bit like a swimming pool in the background but it's just a tablecloth! We didn't intend for that look but it's kind of fun!
Vicki Bensinger says
Chris I love jicama but forget to look for it. I especially love the crunch factor it brings to dishes.
This is such a beautiful dish and combination of colors and flavor. I can only imagine how great it tastes on salmon burgers. I will look forward to seeing your version.
I have to tell you when I first saw the top photo I thought it was a beach dish. Take a close look. It looks like the chips are the sand with the ocean and blue sky on the background.
Have a great weekend.
Ginny says
I have never tried jicama, but have heard of it. This would be fantastic to take on a picnic, especially on the fourth Of July.
Sue/the view from great island says
We're thinking along the same lines, I just made a cantaloupe salsa which we had on top of grilled tilapia for dinner tonight. Summer must be coming! Your combination is awesome.