Hot yet refreshing! The fresh herbs, jicama, and strawberries cool the heat of the chili oil. Makes 6 appetizers or side salads.

Hot Chili Oil Salad

Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

Salad:
1 bag (5 ounces) Spring Mix
1 red onion, sliced into thin rings
1 pint strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
1 small jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

In a large salad bowl, toss together the Spring Mix, onion, strawberries, jicama, and pepitas. Add the dressing to taste and gently toss. Serve immediately.

Hot Chili Oil Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons raspberry balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon hot chili oil
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh basil
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh mint leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and cumin. Slowly add the olive oil and chili oil in a steady stream, whisking to emulsify. Stir in the basil, rosemary, oregano, and mint just before serving. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Tip: Jicama is a subtly sweet, crunchy root vegetable originally found only in Mexico and South America. It is seasonally available in many grocery stores. Ask your produce department to order it for you.

A crunchy treat from Mexico, pepitas are green hulled pumpkin seeds. They are available in health food stores as well as gourmet and Latin markets.