After Pesach (AKA Passover) everyone is a little sick of potatoes. Jicama, a large tuber from Mexico with the texture of a turnip and the flavor of an apple is a great substitute for a potato. You don’t get the same crunch as you do with a fried potato, but it is not bad for an occasional change. Originally I was going to name this post Jicama Fry Poutine Two Ways, but the recipes moved too far away from a traditional poutine, which is made with cheese curds and gravy.
Jicama Fries with Mushroom Gravy and Cheese Sauce
Kosher cheese curds can be very hard to obtain so in my dairy version I substituted a cheese sauce, and the gravy for a mushroom sauce, to keep it all kosher.
This is a great potato alternative if you want to change it up. You can try baking them instead of frying, but believe me, it won't be nearly as good.
- 1 Large Jicima Cut in to 1/2"X1/2" Fries
- 3 tbsp Seasoned Salt To taste
- Vegetable Oil For frying
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Put a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the fries and boil for 10 minutes to soften them.
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Remove the fries from the water and dry them completely. A salad spinner works well for this.
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Add vegetable oil to your largest, heaviest frying pan so it come 3/4" inch up the side. If you have a cast iron skillet this would be a great time to break it out. Put over medium heat.
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Once the oil gets to 350°F start adding the fries a few at a time being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry on each side until golden brown.
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Move the fries to a cooling rack, season with the seasoned salt, top with your favorite additions, and serve immediately.
- 1 lb Mushrooms (I like cremini AKA baby bellas, but white buttons will work) Stems removed, rinsed, and sliced
- 2 large Onions Halved
- 3 tbsp Butter or Olive Oil
- 3 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 3 Cloves Garlic Finely Chopped
- Additional Olive Oil for Sauteing
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Cup Vegetable Stock Preferably home made, but store bought will be fine
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Add a couple of tablespoons olive oil to a large saucepan or a dutch over over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, being careful not crowd the pan. Work in batches if necessary. Saute the mushrooms until the are nicely browned on both sides and remove them from the pan.
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Add the onion and some olive olive oil if needed. Saute the onions until they take on a golden color. Add the soy sauce and the garlic and continue to cook until the garlic just starts to brown. Then remove the onions and garlic from the pan.
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Turn the heat down to low and add the flour and butter or olive oil. Stir constantly to completely coat the flour particles with the fat. This is called a roux, it is a great thickener for sauces.
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Stir in the mushrooms, garlic, and onions. Then slowly add vegetable stock, stirring regularly until the desired thickness is achieved.
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Serve immediately on top of fries, knishes, pasta, or chicken, the sky is the limit.
- 3 tbsp Butter or Olive Oil
- 3 tbsp All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Whole Milk Or Cream
- 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella
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Put sauce pan over low heat and add the flour and butter or olive oil. Stir constantly to completely coat the flour particles with the fat. This is called a roux, it is a great thickener for sauces.
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Continue to stir the roux constantly. Once the roux starts to brown add the milk or cream slowly and continue to stir.
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Once the milk or cream is completely incorporated, add the cheese and stir the cheese until it is completely melted. Serve immediately.
Jicama Fries with Shredded Beef and Spicy Salsa Verde
For my meat version, I wanted to something that would stick the ribs, topped off with some heat. I happened to have had made some Mexican food recently and thought that this was a great opportunity to use up some leftovers. Pulled beef is a great opportunity to break out the slow cooker (AKA Crock-Pot), and as Ron Popeil always said, set it and forget it. The ingredients for the salsa are grilled, which is a great way to use up the heat from dying coals after a backyard soiree.
- 1 Hunk of Beef Nothing fancy. Neck or shoulder is fine
- 1 Bottle Beer
- 29 oz Can of Tomato Sauce
- 4 Cloves Garlic Roughly chopped
- 1 Large Onion Sliced
- 1 tbsp Dried Oregano
- Salt and Pepper To taste
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Throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker (AKA Crock-Pot). Let it cook for about 6 hours on low. Shred with two forks. Serve as a taco, with rice, on fries. or over pasta. Freezes well.
This is a great condiment when you want to kick it up a notch. You can add more or less chili peppers to control the level of heat. You can also remove the ribs and seeds from the peppers to decrease the heat.
- 2 Jalapeno Peppers
- 2 Poblano Peppers
- 2 Green Bell Peppers
- 6 Large Tomatillos Husks removed
- 1 Large Onion Peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 Cloves Garlic Skin removed
- Olive Oil
- 1 Handful Cilantro Chopped
- 1 Lime
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
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Toss all the peppers, tomatillos, onion, and garlic with the olive oil. Put them on the grill or under the broiler until the skin begins to char and then remove from the heat
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Remove the tops from the peppers and add them to a large mixing bowl along with the onion, tomatillos, and garlic. With an immersion (stick) blender, process until desired texture is achieved. This can also be done in a food processor or a regular blender.
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Add the cilantro, salt and pepper and the juice from the lime to bowl. Stir to combine. Serve alongside chips, or on top of tacos or fries.
Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s Jicama recipe here: Spicy Slaw with Quick Pickled Jicama and Creamy Salsa Verde Dressing
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