Jicama, Cucumber, Pineapple Soup/Salad (Gazpacho de Bienvenida)

The street version does not include the serrano chiles so I will retest this and add a new photo in the near future.  At Zarela , we served this as a summer soup but it can also be a salad.

Why this delicious soup/salad is called a gazpacho is a mystery. I’ve looked into the etymology of the word “gazpacho” and there is no conclusive decision as to its origin so I’ll just take it to mean a refreshing start  to a mea, an amuse bouche if you will,  that is given diners as a welcome (bienvenida) to a restaurant .This recipe comes from Rodrigo and Blanca Lemus of the wonderful restaurant called La Mesa de Blanca in Ziracuaretino, Michoacan .

The tip she gave me at the end shows the natural way, Mexicans deal with ordinary things like flies. :  To scare of flies she said, stick a few limes with 3 cloves each and place around the bowl.

In a large stainless steel or glass bowl combine the following ingredients:

1 medium-sized jicama, peeled and diced small

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced (I like to iuse the small Syrian cucumbers –they have less seeds and the flesh is firmer)

1 thick slice ripe pineapple, cored and sliced  thinly

Freshly –squeezed orange juice to cover (about 3 cups)

For the sauce

6 sprigs cilantro (or to taste)

1 or 2 serrano chiles , to taste

½ medium white onion

½ cup orange juice

Blend these ingredients in a blender and pour over the rest of the ingredients.  L:et sit for about 20 minutes , just enough to combine the flavors but not loose the crispness