As you all know, I am really big into having salads and sprouts on the trail. Last week Seattle Backpackers Magazine published another of my articles, this time about jicama. I included a slaw recipe with the article and I hope you enjoy it.
Here is the link…
An Inspiration from the Produce Aisle
and here is the recipe…
Jicama, Savoy Cabbage, and Mango Slaw
from Another Fork in the Trail
Dehydration Time: 5–10 hours
Makes 3–4 servings
Jicama (pronounced hick-a-ma) has a slightly nutty and sweet flavor with the texture of a water chestnut. Although it looks like a turnip and is often referred to as “Mexican turnip” or “Mexican Potato,” jicama is actually a legume. I first made this slaw for a backpacking trip along the rugged coastline of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada.
2/3 cup carrot, coarsely grated
1 cup jicama, coarsely grated
2/3 cup mango, julienned
1 1/4 cup savoy cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup celery leaves, optional
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/3 cup red pepper, julienned
2 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
At Home
Grate the carrot jicama on a coarse grater. Place on dehydrator trays to dry. Dry the mango on a separate dehydrator tray. Shred the cabbage, mix it with the celery leaves, if using, and dry the mixture on separate dehydrator trays lined with parchment paper or an additional mesh screen. Dry the minced red onion and red pepper on separate mesh-lined trays. When all the ingredients are dry, place them together in a ziplock freezer bag. Put the vinegar in a leakproof container and put that in the bag with the cabbage and jicama mixture. Add the olive oil to the oil you will take with you on the trip.
At Camp
Shortly before you plan to eat the salad, rehydrate the dried ingredients with cold water using a ratio of 1 part dried mix to 2/3 part water. Check the salad after a few minutes and add a little more water as necessary. Drain any excess water once the cabbage and jicama have reconstituted and dress with a mixture of 2 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar, 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Adjust to suit your taste. Season the slaw with salt and pepper.
Tips
Don’t let the slaw rehydrate in too much water or for too long or it will become soggy.
So, let’s open the discussion. What are your favorite trail salads?
