Grilled Pineapple, Jicama & Celery Salad
October 20, 2006
I have experimented recently with converting a drink I love into a salad I love even more. I promise that when Prickly Pears come back into season, I will post that ever-loving drink that is good with and without booze.
I made this salad not so long ago for a cooking contest and got some extra tips on how to improve it. I also was without my beloved prickly pears but after tasting a couple of different flavors of that Mexican canned juice product from Jumex, I decided that pear nectar was pretty darn close to the sweet sappy sort of honey dew flavor I was looking for. So, if you can't find prickly pears, don't panic, just buy some pear nectar in the Mexican section of your grocery.
For the vinaigrette:
- 1 prickly pear, peeled & seeds removed (or 1/2 can of Jumex Pear Nectar)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, minced
In a blender, combine the prickly pears, lime juice, salt, and ginger. With the blender on, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Set aside.
For the salad:
- 1/4 pineapple, skin and core removed, cut into small pieces
I grilled my pineapple over an indoor grill
- 4 handfuls of arugula
- 2 small jicama, cut into matchsticks
- 1 tsp of chile molido (can substitute with tapatio or Vietnamese chiles)
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 sprigs of mint, finely chopped
- 1 stalk of celery, finely sliced
Combine the pineapple, celery, jicama, chile molido, and lime juice in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the arugula and mint, along with enough vinaigrette above just to coat. On a small bed of arugula, carefully arrange the pineapple mixture for presentation.
