Recipes needed to use up a 4 pound jicama

kshama2001
kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My neighbor gets a misfit vegetable box delivery and gives me what she doesn't want or recognize, which lately included a 4 pound jicama. Now, I like jicama, but didn't think there was any way we can finish 4 pounds worth, however, several people on the garden thread convinced me to try. All I've done previously was add it to salad.

@AnnPT77 - how would you polish it off before it spoiled?

@Katmary71 - you said you haven't tried making jicama tortillas yet, but do you have a recipe? Something like https://www.wholesomeyum.com/fresh-jicama-tortillas-recipe/ ?

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Replies

  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
    CSA and food boxes can be fun if only for the exposure to "new to you" stuff!

    This is also new to me as I don't know what this veggie is and am too lazy to Google. It seems to be a tuber so I'd roast that sucker.

    Happy eating, whatever you decide 😋
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    MaltedTea wrote: »
    CSA and food boxes can be fun if only for the exposure to "new to you" stuff!

    This is also new to me as I don't know what this veggie is and am too lazy to Google. It seems to be a tuber so I'd roast that sucker.

    Happy eating, whatever you decide 😋

    Ya, I'll have the oven on tonight for meatloaf so might try something like this: https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/sweet-and-hot-roasted-jicama

    Some reviewers for another recipe didn't care for cooked jicama, but I think I will give it a try anyway. The best chef I know personally said not being afraid to experiment is key to being a great cook: https://www.food.com/recipe/roasted-jicama-36543
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I like jicama in a slaw with green apples: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/171948/jicama-carrot-and-green-apple-slaw/
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    edited May 2020
    I love it a lot - such nice fresh crunch! - so I'd just eat big heaps of it raw, sliced to about 1/4" and cut to convenient eat-out-of-hand size (often, I cut up raw veggies to graze on while I'm cooking). The surface has enough moisture to hold a powdered/granulated seasoning, if you like, seasoned salt, a sensible amount of chili powder, or the like. I've read that some like them with lime juice and chili powder. But I usually eat them raw, plain.

    Matchsticks or cubes in most any kind of salad are very nice, too. Or they can be used as one of the fresh things in something like tacos or sandwiches - anyplace you might think about putting other raw veggies. You can control the tooth-resistance (I don't know what else to call it) by size of slice/cut.

    I've roasted them in slices: That develops a nice, creamy texture inside, with a very mild flavor. I prefer the raw, but the roasted ones could be used in sandwiches and that sort of thing (strong flavors would overwhelm them).

    If I were going to use them in stovetop-cooked things, I'd put them in toward the end (so they don't soften into mush or invisibility). I probably wouldn't use them in a long-bake thing (like a casserole) because of that softening, though bigger chunks or slices could possibly work.

    It's such a mild flavor that it's really versatile. That crunch, though! :yum:

    ETA: I'd be careful with initial portion sizes. It has quite a lot of beneficial indigestible fiber that is prebiotic, i.e., gut microbiota like to eat it. The fiber or the happy tooting micro-bugs might cause some digestive distress, if your body isn't accustomed to that level of fiber/inulin.
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,142 Member
    I agree with Ann about the crunch, that's the best part especially if it's juicy! I first had it in a salad at a Mexican restaurant with black beans and chicken which I dupe now. Great in wraps too. It goes well in salads with fruit.

    I never tried the jicama tortilla, just saw you could make tortillas with it. Trader Joe's sells sliced ones but I've never tried it. You're going to have to post what you do! I came across some recipes adding it to stir fry but I personally wouldn't fully cook it.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I made these and dipped them in some leftover garlic/basil/lemon aioli mayo https://www.spendwithpennies.com/oven-baked-jicama-fries/

    While good, I think I would have preferred sweet potatoes.

    I also nibbled as I cooked and had some in my salad. I am so full...
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    I love it a lot - such nice fresh crunch! - so I'd just eat big heaps of it raw, sliced to about 1/4" and cut to convenient eat-out-of-hand size (often, I cut up raw veggies to graze on while I'm cooking). The surface has enough moisture to hold a powdered/granulated seasoning, if you like, seasoned salt, a sensible amount of chili powder, or the like. I've read that some like them with lime juice and chili powder. But I usually eat them raw, plain.

    It's such a mild flavor that it's really versatile. That crunch, though! :yum:

    ETA: I'd be careful with initial portion sizes. It has quite a lot of beneficial indigestible fiber that is prebiotic, i.e., gut microbiota like to eat it. The fiber or the happy tooting micro-bugs might cause some digestive distress, if your body isn't accustomed to that level of fiber/inulin.

    Ann, you kind of describe how they do here in southern Mexico. The peel it and cut it into strips about 1/4 inch. They squeeze lime juice over it and sal gusano on top (a chili and dried gusano salt). It is often served as a botana (a small dish of veggies prepared the way I described often including cucumber and sliced carrot) with your beverages while waiting to order dinner. The texture raw is really fabulous but it has very little inherent flavor.

    We peel it and slice it at home and store it vertically in a empty yogurt container in water and it lasts a couple of weeks. It is high in vitamin C and fiber and low calorie. Here they also sometimes shred it and deep fry it and put as a topping on a soup or a garnish on a salad. I've tried this but unless you have a fry baby or some kind of easy to use deep fryer, it's not worth the effort.
  • klove808
    klove808 Posts: 346 Member
    Wrap in paper and give away or just slip it in theme trash ;). Can you tell I’m not found of jicama.

    I’d make it spicey and fry it - almost everything tastes good fried.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    Pickled jicama with fresh ginger root. There’s a bunch of recipes online, with and without things like jalapeño. It’s quick to do, and requires no canning and just a few hours of “sit” time,
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    springlering62 wrote: »
    Pickled jicama with fresh ginger root. There’s a bunch of recipes online, with and without things like jalapeño. It’s quick to do, and requires no canning and just a few hours of “sit” time,

    @springlering62 the following recipes say to eat within -23 days, but in your experience does it last longer than that? I'd pickle if I could get a week or two out of it.

    https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pickled-jicama-ginger-summer-peppers
    https://feedingyourbeauty.com/2015/04/14/quick-pickled-jicama-a-healthy-tangy-crunchy-snack-side-or-condiment/
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    I love it a lot - such nice fresh crunch! - so I'd just eat big heaps of it raw, sliced to about 1/4" and cut to convenient eat-out-of-hand size (often, I cut up raw veggies to graze on while I'm cooking). The surface has enough moisture to hold a powdered/granulated seasoning, if you like, seasoned salt, a sensible amount of chili powder, or the like. I've read that some like them with lime juice and chili powder. But I usually eat them raw, plain.

    It's such a mild flavor that it's really versatile. That crunch, though! :yum:

    ETA: I'd be careful with initial portion sizes. It has quite a lot of beneficial indigestible fiber that is prebiotic, i.e., gut microbiota like to eat it. The fiber or the happy tooting micro-bugs might cause some digestive distress, if your body isn't accustomed to that level of fiber/inulin.

    Ann, you kind of describe how they do here in southern Mexico. The peel it and cut it into strips about 1/4 inch. They squeeze lime juice over it and sal gusano on top (a chili and dried gusano salt). It is often served as a botana (a small dish of veggies prepared the way I described often including cucumber and sliced carrot) with your beverages while waiting to order dinner. The texture raw is really fabulous but it has very little inherent flavor.

    We peel it and slice it at home and store it vertically in a empty yogurt container in water and it lasts a couple of weeks. It is high in vitamin C and fiber and low calorie. Here they also sometimes shred it and deep fry it and put as a topping on a soup or a garnish on a salad. I've tried this but unless you have a fry baby or some kind of easy to use deep fryer, it's not worth the effort.

    Thanks for the storage tip!
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited May 2020
    My favorite way to eat eat raw jicama is to peel & cut them into finger sized matchsticks, toss them in lime juice to flavor and preserve them and then shake some chili powder (or tajin, if you have any) on them b4 eating them while drinking beer and watching a baseball or football game on TV.

    Goes great as a side dish w/any other type of tailgate food that you'd care to serve, including but not limited to: tacos, taquitos, enchiladas, burritos, chicken wings, beef chilli, bbq beans, bbq ribs, burgers, hot dogs or pizza. :)
  • pancakerunner
    pancakerunner Posts: 6,137 Member
    lime zest and chile powder
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    springlering62 wrote: »
    Pickled jicama with fresh ginger root. There’s a bunch of recipes online, with and without things like jalapeño. It’s quick to do, and requires no canning and just a few hours of “sit” time,

    @springlering62 the following recipes say to eat within -23 days, but in your experience does it last longer than that? I'd pickle if I could get a week or two out of it.

    https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pickled-jicama-ginger-summer-peppers
    https://feedingyourbeauty.com/2015/04/14/quick-pickled-jicama-a-healthy-tangy-crunchy-snack-side-or-condiment/

    I’ve only made it once and didn’t use a giant jicama. I ate it for two or three days and was tired of it, so threw the rest out. The one I did with the ginger was spicy, crunchy and tangy. I really liked it but my husband kicks and screams when presented unfamiliar foods (like the kefir I posted about elsewhere and have been sneaking in on him).

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