Photo of jicama. By Eric in SF (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Have you ever eaten at a ritzy ditzy restaurant that served jicama, aka Pachyrhizus erosus? At first glance, it’s nothing special. It’s usually cut into thin strips or small pieces and is white. It’s actually a large, tuberous root from South America and Mexico and is a relative of the potato. (The rest of the plant is actually poisonous.) It can be eaten raw or cooked and has a sweet, crunch, nutty flavor that’s a cross between an apple and a water chestnut. I’ve also experienced it at up-scale salad bars. It adds a nice sweet…