Avocado of Palm Salad & Watermelon with Feta Cheese

Mexican food is often misunderstood here. Take salads, for example. Most Americans don’t think of them as part of our cuisine, but we eat them all the time. And no, we don’t have “taco salads”! We use seasonal, fresh ingredients found in the daily markets and the mercados sobre ruedas (“markets on wheels”) that roll through our neighborhoods and are similar to farmers’ markets in the United States. Mexicans have shopped “local” for centuries.

Not every Mexican dish is full of chiles and heat, and that is true of salads too. What’s more, our everyday salads have a generous share of international elements. They are often dressed with vinaigrettes that include soy sauce, Maggi Sauce, one or another mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, all standard ingredients in Mexican pantries.

At the same time, we lean toward what may seem to you exotic or unusual, using ingredients like Jamaica, here in the vinaigrette that dresses the Spinach–Goat Cheese Salad with Caramelized Pecans, or the combination of mint and jalapeño that spikes the Watermelon and Tomatillo Salad with Feta Cheese. We give salads texture and crunch by sprinkling nuts, such as the Caramelized Pecans or Peanuts, or Spicy Pumpkin Seeds, as in the Boston Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing.

Salads can be party food too. It isn’t December if I’m not walking into a Christmas party with my take on Mexico’s traditional Ensalada de Navidad, which bathes jicama, beets, oranges, and caramelized peanuts in a honey vinaigrette.

Avocado and Hearts of Palm Salad:

Pairing buttery avocados with tender hearts of palm is a tradition in my family for special occasions. Cherry tomatoes and corn make the salad even more alluring, and pumpkin seeds add a nutty crunch. Serve as a main dish with a side of toast or pita bread, or serve as a side dish to chicken, meat, or fish. No one who has tried it at my home or in my class has ever left without the recipe.

• 3 tablespoons hulled raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican, or 1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano
• ¼ teaspoon dark brown sugar
• ¾ teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 14-ounce can hearts of palm, rinsed, drained, and cut into ½-inch-thick slices
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (about 6 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon chopped red onion, or to taste
• 3 large Hass avocados, halved, pitted, meat scooped out, and cut into bite-sized chunks
1. Heat a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast, stirring often, until you hear popping sounds, like popcorn, and they begin to 
2. brown lightly, 3 to 4 minutes; take care not to burn them. Transfer to a small bowl.
3. Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, to heat through. Drain and set aside.
4. Combine the vinegar, lime juice, oregano, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly add the oils in a thin, steady stream, mixing with a whisk or a fork until emulsified.
5. In a large salad bowl, combine the hearts of palm, corn, cherry tomatoes, and red onion. Add the vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Gently fold in the avocados, taking care not to mash them.
6. Sprinkle the salad with the toasted pumpkin seeds and serve.

Watermelon and Tomatillo Salad with Feta Cheese :

You know those photos of kids with big slices of watermelon in their hands and juice dripping down their chins? Consider this salad a neater version of that image. Essentially summer in a bowl, this salad features an unexpected combination of ingredients. The exotic companions of mint, feta, and tart tomatillos take watermelon to a new dimension. Green tomatoes can stand in for the tomatillos in a pinch.

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon seeded (if desired) and finely chopped jalapeño chile, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 cups seeded and cubed ripe watermelon
• About 12 ounces tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, quartered, and thinly sliced crosswise (3 cups)
• About 4 ounces feta cheese or queso fresco, crumbled or cut into small dice (¾ cup), or to taste

1. In a small bowl, combine the mint, jalapeño, lime juice, vinegar, and salt. Slowly add the oils in a thin, steady stream, mixing with a whisk or a fork until emulsified. Let sit for at least 5 minutes before using, so the mint and jalapeño flavors can marry and infuse the vinaigrette.       
2. Place the watermelon and tomatillos in a large salad bowl. Toss gently with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Sprinkle the cheese on top, garnish with mint, and serve.

Jicama, Beet, Orange, and Caramelized Peanut Christmas Salad:

This festive salad is a mainstay on Mexican Christmas tables. It vibrates with the different colors of the ingredients and contrasting flavors and textures. You get the watery crunch of raw jicama, the freshness of juicy oranges, and the sweetness of tender cooked beets, slicked with a vinaigrette sweetened with a bit of honey and topped with crunchy peanuts.

There are many versions, some including other fruits such as bananas, apples, or grapes; add or subtract as desired.

Also known as Mexican yam or turnip, jicama is a root vegetable that tastes similar to a freshwater chestnut, but sweeter and juicier. Look for jicama that is rock hard, with no sign of mold or moisture on the skin. Peel away the thin, beige-colored fibrous skin before using. The meat should be crisp and milky white. If it is beginning to brown, its time has passed, and rather than tasting glorious, it will be unpleasantly sour.

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium jicama (about 1¼ pounds), peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick sticks
• 3 pounds beets, cooked , peeled, and quartered
• 3 oranges, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick slices
• 1 cup coarsely chopped Caramelized Peanuts

1. Combine the vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly add the oils in a thin, steady stream, mixing with a whisk or a fork until emulsified.                                                       
2. Place the jicama, beets, and oranges in separate bowls and toss each with about one third of the vinaigrette. Arrange the ingredients in a pattern on a large platter. I like to do parallel stripes, and I often start with beets in the center, placing jicama on one side and oranges on the other. Sprinkle on the caramelized peanuts and drizzle any remaining vinaigrette on top.                       
3. like to do parallel stripes, and I often start with beets in the center, placing jicama on one side and oranges on the other. Sprinkle on the caramelized peanuts and drizzle any remaining vinaigrette on top.

MEXICAN COOK’S TRICK: To cook beets, cut off the greens and most of the stems, leaving about 1 inch. Don’t scrub them or cut off the thin root, or they will bleed their juices, sweetness, and color as they cook. Place them in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook until tender.

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