Orange Watercress Jicama Salad

I first tasted jicama during a trip to Mexico almost seven years ago. I was so taken by the root's unique combination of sweet, crunchy, earthy, and refreshing characteristics that I immediately turned to my surprised Mexican waiter and asked him to tell me the name of it right away! These days, jicama is a frequent visitor to my kitchen. In the summer, I like to make several variations of Mark Bittman's Jicama and Orange Salad, from his wonderful book How to Cook Everything, to take on picnics and pack in portable lunches. Each of those variations really celebrate the fresh herbs that are so plentiful at that time of year, so I thought it would be great to create a winter version that would celebrate the citrus while it is in season. Taking my cue from both Bittman and the meal I had at BridgePort a few weeks ago, today I made an Orange Watercress Jicama Salad. This is a great winter salad, since the combination of sweet jicama, crisp citrus, and spicy watercress is refreshing and warming all at once! I will pair it with something decidedly savory, like a grilled marinated portabello cap or skirt steak.

Orange Watercress Jicama Salad

1 jicama

3 oranges

1 lime

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup watercress

Peel the jicama and cut into 1/2 inch cubes, or julienne into "matchsticks" if you have more time and would like a prettier presentation. Place the jicama into a medium-sized bowl and add the juice of one of the oranges and the zest from about half of the orange peel. Cut the remaining oranges into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl. Add the salt and the juice from half of the lime and toss to combine. Rough chop the watercress, then add to the bowl and combine with the other ingredients.