Mrmyke709
1,000+ Posts
So I went to a family reunion over the weekend. My family has a large percentage of hillbilly in them, and the meetup was in southeastern Missouri. They came in from Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Missouri, etc. We have a huge feast on Saturday, but usually have enough folks in town on Friday that we need to gather and rustle up some dinner.
Friday afternoon, my mother issued the dreaded words, "We're having my Mexican casserole tonight". I shuddered in horror. Her version of a King Ranch casserole degenerates into a soggy mass of tortillas and beans after cooking, and I dared not tell her that it would be as popular as pork tenderloin at a Jewish wedding reception.
I went into damage control. We were looking at feeding about 15-20 people. I had brought some beef skirt and some chicken breasts for grilling. So, on a trip to Wally World, I picked up some more beef and the ingredients for pico de gallo and guacamole. Freaking avocados in Poplar Bluff, MO were $1.90 for the little guys.
It went off well, and some folks even used the hot pico instead of the 'mild" batch that I set aside for the yankees in the bunch. My dear Aunt Jettie was amazed by the cilantro...she had never seen it before.
Saturday was even better. I had a recipe for Smoked ham potato salad that included jicama. They thought it was a damn turnip. My 82 yr. old grandmother stood up at the picnic and asked if the potatoes were raw. I had to stand up and inform the clan that it was indeed jicama root. The nearly full bowl of leftovers was testimony to the idea that proper potato salad should have boiled eggs, celery, "yeller" mustard and mayo, and none of this fancy jicama stuff.
But I digress. Here's the recipe for the dish.
It's from the New Basics cookbook by Julie Rosso and Sheila Lukins.
2-3 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
1 C peeled diced jicama, 1 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 pound of smoked ham, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes (preferably the Hormel Cure 81).
1 C diced red onion
1 seeded finely chopped serrano chile
1 C mayo
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 tsp white pepper
3 tsp chopped chives for garnish
Place potatoes into a large stock pot of cold water, bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes until just cooked. It's better if they are a bit firm.
Rinse under cold water, place in a large bowl.
Add the diced jicama, red onion, serrano, and ham.
In a separate mixing bowl, add the mayo, dijon, vinegar, and the spices. Mix well, then add to potato mixture. Stir well, you may want to adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with chopped chives and enjoy.
Friday afternoon, my mother issued the dreaded words, "We're having my Mexican casserole tonight". I shuddered in horror. Her version of a King Ranch casserole degenerates into a soggy mass of tortillas and beans after cooking, and I dared not tell her that it would be as popular as pork tenderloin at a Jewish wedding reception.
I went into damage control. We were looking at feeding about 15-20 people. I had brought some beef skirt and some chicken breasts for grilling. So, on a trip to Wally World, I picked up some more beef and the ingredients for pico de gallo and guacamole. Freaking avocados in Poplar Bluff, MO were $1.90 for the little guys.
It went off well, and some folks even used the hot pico instead of the 'mild" batch that I set aside for the yankees in the bunch. My dear Aunt Jettie was amazed by the cilantro...she had never seen it before.
Saturday was even better. I had a recipe for Smoked ham potato salad that included jicama. They thought it was a damn turnip. My 82 yr. old grandmother stood up at the picnic and asked if the potatoes were raw. I had to stand up and inform the clan that it was indeed jicama root. The nearly full bowl of leftovers was testimony to the idea that proper potato salad should have boiled eggs, celery, "yeller" mustard and mayo, and none of this fancy jicama stuff.
But I digress. Here's the recipe for the dish.
It's from the New Basics cookbook by Julie Rosso and Sheila Lukins.
2-3 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
1 C peeled diced jicama, 1 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 pound of smoked ham, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes (preferably the Hormel Cure 81).
1 C diced red onion
1 seeded finely chopped serrano chile
1 C mayo
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 tsp white pepper
3 tsp chopped chives for garnish
Place potatoes into a large stock pot of cold water, bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes until just cooked. It's better if they are a bit firm.
Rinse under cold water, place in a large bowl.
Add the diced jicama, red onion, serrano, and ham.
In a separate mixing bowl, add the mayo, dijon, vinegar, and the spices. Mix well, then add to potato mixture. Stir well, you may want to adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with chopped chives and enjoy.
