Jicama-Avocado Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

I love trying new vegetables and the latest one I tried is Jicama (spelled as hi-ka-mma). Actually I bought it couple of times before, but I was hesitant to use them right away and by the time I was ready, they rotted :-( So this time, I made sure I had a recipe ready and I made it right away.
Jicama also known as Mexican yam or Mexican turnip is an edible tuberous root of a native Mexican vine. I was surprised that it is from a bean family because it almost looks like it belongs to the potato family. Another interesting thing is that the remainder of the jicama plant (except for the root) is poisonous.

Out side of a jicama is yellow and papery and needs to be peeled. Inside is crispy and resembles raw potato or pear. It tastes a little like apple but is not not sweet -- like a bland apple. It is usually eaten raw in salads and sometimes cooked in soups and stir-fried dishes.

I noted this jicama-avocado salad a while back from a segment on Good Morning America. The citrus dressing with creamy avocado & crunchy jicama looked too good on TV and I finally got to try it at home. It is a light refreshing salad that is perfect for summer entertaining. Since avocado oxidses if left out for too long, assemble the salad just before serving. 

Ingredients: Serves 2

For the Citrus Dressing:

Orange juice - 2tbsp

Lime juice - 2tbsp

Dijon mustard - ½tsp
Oil - 3tbsp
Salt & Pepper - to taste

For the Salad:
Jicama - 1 medium, peeled and diced
Avocado - 1, peeled and thinly sliced
Corn - ½cup (par boiled if using fresh, thawed if using frozen)
Red onion - 2tbsp, finely chopped
Lemon zest - ½tsp
Cilantro/ Parsley - 2tbsp, finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil - 1tbsp (optional)

Method:

• Make the dressing: Whisk orange and lime juice with dijon mustard. Stream in oil, while whisking constantly to make a thick, creamy dressing. Season with salt & pepper.
• Make the Salad: Combine jicama, lemon zest, avocado and corn in a mixing bowl. Add 2~3tbsp dressing and mix well.
• Place half of the jicama mixture on a serving plate, top it with avocado slices. Drizzle the olive oil (if using) and more dressing. Garnish with chopped herbs and serve right away.

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: June -- Week 3'.