As the temperature gets hotter and hotter, I find myself more interested in cold or room-temperature foods.  Salads are ideal first courses or light lunches on their own.

This salad is interesting and particularly refreshing.   Although Jicama is not an Italian ingredient, it’s a great addition to many salads–crispy and sweet, with its own distinctive flavor.  It pairs well with other crispy things like sweet peppers, fruit and peppery greens.

In this salad, jicama is combined with grapefruit, julienned red pepper and topped with a slab of honey goat cheese (plain goat cheese would suffice).  The dressing is my usual olive oil, red wine vinegar and agave. Laced with some mint, this salad is the perfect encapsulation of summer!

Grapefruit and Jicama Salad

serves 4

2 bunches watercress, large stems removed

1/2  jicama, peeled and sliced into fine julienne

2 grapefruits, peeled, with sections removed from membranes

1 red pepper, sliced into fine julienne

20 mint leaves, slivered into fine ribbons

1 tbl extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbl + 1 tsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp agave

4 oz. honey goat cheese (or plain)

salt and pepper to taste

To remove sections of grapefruit, peel with large chef’s knife and gently cut out sections.

In a mixing bowl large enough to hold the salad, combine oil, vinegar, agave and mint. Stir dressing and add watercress, peppers, jicama and grapefruit sections.  Toss, taste and add salt and pepper.  Top each portion of salad with a slab of goat cheese and some black pepper.