Not your abuela’s fruit salad
Gaspacho estilo morelia is a refreshing, perfectly balanced combination of flavors
My friends, how are you all doing? I was so excited to announce on Monday that Oyamel is coming to New York, and I can’t wait for you to join us there and experience some of our classic Oyamel favorites, as well as some of the new things we are trying out…like family-style cochinita pibil and birria lamb shoulder. But today I thought I would also share with you one of the most popular things on the menu at Oyamel in DC, and it’s a perfect time of year for it: gaspacho estilo morelia!
This isn’t the gazpacho you’re thinking of—not my wife’s wonderful version that my three girls and I drink like water in the hot summers in southern Spain, or last week’s cherry version from Jaleo. It’s also not the fruit salad you may have grown up eating from a can, with sugary sweet pears and maraschino cherries! This gaspacho is based on the amazing chopped fruit salads sold on street corners all over Morelia, the capital of Mexico’s Michoacán, about four hours west of Mexico City.
Morelia is so beautiful, with amazing, well-preserved architecture, beautiful churches and plazas. This dish was one of my favorite discoveries as we ate around Mexico, researching Oyamel many years ago. Nearly every culture in the Western world has figured out that fruit and cheese belong together, but the street vendors of Morelia seem to be the only ones smart enough to invite chile and lime to the party.
If you’ve never worked with jicama, you’re in for a treat…it’s known as the “Mexican turnip,” but it really seems like more of a cross between an apple and a potato. It has the crispy freshness of a perfectly ripe apple, but a little starchy, like a potato, which helps dressings cling to its surface. It provides a really nice, crunchy texture, perfect alongside the refreshing cucumber, the sweetness of the pineapple and oranges, the light bitterness of the radishes and the acid of the lime dressing. With a little salty, crumbly queso fresco and the heat of chili, it’s as beautiful to eat as it looks on the plate!
And of course, I can’t leave you today without mentioning my new knife collection from Arcos…because when you prep a recipe like this one, with lots of ingredients, it’s always way more fun when you have a really good knife. These knives are inspired by Spain’s rich culinary heritage, with a beautiful design and perfectly balanced weight. If you’re looking for gift inspiration for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or an upcoming birthday…I love cooking with these knives, and I know you will too!
“Gaspacho” estilo morelia
Mexican street-style fruit salad
Serves 4