Serves 4–6

A lively looking and tasting salad, it's a sure winner at a picnic. Using a hollowed out watermelon as a serving dish makes an impressive, yet easy and inexpensive, serving dish.

Crunchy Coconut-Flavored Salad

1 cup julienned jicama

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned

2–3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 recipe Coconut Marinade (see recipe on page 14)

Place the jicama, cucumber, and basil in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the vegetables and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

illustration Jicama

Jicama is indigenous to the Americas and looks like a big brown, rather unappetizing, root. But beneath the ugly skin is a light, crunchy vegetable with a slightly sweet taste reminiscent of apple.