Jicama, Napa Cabbage and Manzano Pepper Salad with Cilantro Honey Orange Vinaegrette

     This light refreshing salad has a few accompaniments that taste nice with jicama.  Orange juice and cilantro is a tasty flavor combination for a light vinaegrette dressing.  Honey is a nice natural sweetener for a light vinaegrette.
     Manzano peppers are in the South American rocoto pepper family.  Manzano peppers are shaped like orange colored globes.  Some markets give chile manzano the name globe peppers.  I have seen them sold as peron peppers too.  Manzano peppers are used in many Peruvian recipes.  Real manzano peppers are the only chile peppers that have black seeds.
     Manzano peppers are quite flavorful and they do have medium spicy hot bite.  If the seeds and pulp are removed, then the pepper flesh will be much less spicy.  Most of the hot pepper oils are in the pulpy seed area of a hot chile pepper.
     Jicama is a tuber from a vine plant that is native to Mexico.  The tuber looks like a fat round potato.  Jicama tastes like crispy fresh apple and potato combined.  In Mexico, jicama is commonly served raw and seasoned with chile powder as a snack.  Jicama can be served raw or it can be cooked like a vegetable.
  
     Cilantro Honey Orange Vinaegrette:
     There are three major styles of vinaegrette.  Loosely combined, partially emulsified and fully emulsified.  Loose vinaegrette needs to be stirred or shaken before serving.
     The honey should only balance the acidic vinegar flavor in this vinaegrette.  With a tart sweet balance, the orange flavor is easily noticed.
     Place 2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed orange juice in a small mixing bowl.
     Add 1/2 teaspoon of chopped cilantro leaves.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of honey.
     Add 1/2 teaspoon of minced shallot.
     Add 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar.
     Add sea salt and white pepper.
     Slowly add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, while stirring, to create a loose vinaegrette.
     Let the dressing set for 10 minutes, so the flavors meld.
  
     Jicama, Napa Cabbage and Manzano Pepper Salad with Cilantro Honey Orange Vinaegrette:
     Cut 1 1/3 cups of napa cabbage heart leaves into thin strips and place them into a mixing bowl.
     Add 1/2 cup of peeled jicama that is cut into very thin strips.
     Add a few thin orange manzano pepper strips.
     Note:  Only add a few manzano pepper strips or this salad will become fiery spicy hot, like a Thai cabbage salad that is requested to be prepared at spicy hot level #10 at a Thai restaurant!
     Add a few thin green bell pepper strips.
     Add a few very thin sliced carrot strips for color.
     Add the white part of a green onion that is cut into very thin strips.
     Pour some of the cilantro honey orange dressing over the salad ingredients.
     Toss the salad, till the ingredients are coated with the dressing.
     Place 5-6 small napa cabbage leaves on the center of a plate in a starfish pattern as a bed for the tossed salad.
     Mound the tossed jicama, napa cabbage and manzano pepper salad high on the center of the plate.
     No garnish is necessary.
  
     This salad will put a smile on any jicama fan's face!  This is salad recipe is refreshing on a hot afternoon.  Yum!  ...  Shawna