Gaspacho Moreliano (mango, pineapple and jicama salad with an orange-lime dressing)
“My mouth was watering when I started writing this headnote. West of Mexico City, in the city of Morelia, there’s an area in el Centro, the historic district, near the cathedral, where Gaspacho (yes, it’s spelled with an s) line the streets. Young men labored under each gaspacho sign, meticulously and quickly cutting not tomatoes and red peppers to make Spain’s famous chilled gazpacho soup, but mango, jicama and pineapple into tiny and perfect cubes to create gaspacho, a sweet and salty fruit produce snack.
“At midday, the streets are packed with people carrying large plastic cups filled with tiny sliced fruit and topped with chili and queso cotija.
“Gaspacho showcases the incredibly sweet mangoes that grow in the state and Cotija, the salty-spicy cheese that’s also made there. My version is more of a summery side dish than a take-out lunchtime snack. Since I really don’t want to spend a lot of time dicing fruit, I use larger slices. I love gaspacho so much that I pair it with everything from grilled meats to fish.” — Martinez
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 chilli de árbol, stemmed and finely chopped, or ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon Morton Kosher Salt
1 large Tommy Atkins mango or 2 Ataúlfo or Champagne mangoes, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
¼ medium pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces
½ large jicama, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ medium white onion (3 ounces/86 grams), chopped
½ cup fresh mint leaves
TO SERVE:
crumbled queso cotija
Tajin
lime wedges
1. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the oil, lime juice, orange zest, orange juice, garlic, chilli de árbol, and salt until the salt is dissolved.
2. In a large bowl, gently mix together the mango, pineapple, jicama, onion, mint and half the dressing. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.
3. Drizzle with any additional dressing and serve with cotija, tajín and a squeeze of lime juice.
Reprinted with permission from Mi Cocina: Recipes and enthusiasm from my kitchen in Mexico by Rick Martínez, copyright © 2022. Photographs, copyright © 2022 by Ren Fuller. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
