Mangoes are gorgeous and fragrant.
They are surely one of the most luscious edibles. Mangoes are now available to us here in the northern hemisphere for most of the year, but are at their peak of perfection in April, May and June.
Finding a ripe mango is as easy as smelling and touching it. It should have a sweet, tropical aroma and yield to gentle pressure. Avoid very soft mangos or those that have black spots on the skin, as those will likely go through into the flesh. My favourite way to cut a mango is to cut off the “cheeks” close to the pit, then slice them into half-inch strips and cut away the skin with a small sharp knife.
Creamy Honey Mango Sauce
Try this with chicken fingers or on barbecued salmon.
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup fresh mango cubes
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp honey
Pinch of curry powder
½ tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until completely smooth and well blended.
Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until using. Makes about one cup.
Mango Cucumber Rice Salad
1 cup brown basmati rice
½ cup wild rice
Zest and juice of one large lime
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into half-inch cubes
Half of an English cucumber, cut into half-inch cubes
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and veins removed, minced (reduce quantity or omit depending on your taste)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley
1⁄3 cup chopped toasted almonds or pecans
Add the wild rice to a large saucepan of boiling salted water; cook for 30 minutes then add brown rice and cook for another 30 minutes or until rice is tender.
Drain in a fine colander and rinse with cold water until rice is cool. Shake colander to drain all excess water. In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lime zest, honey, rice vinegar, salt and pepper.
Add the rice, mango, cucumber, jalapeno, green and red onion, cilantro and almonds; toss until well combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate for an hour or two to allow flavours to combine. Makes four servings.
Mango Brulée
The perfect dessert after a spicy curry.
2 ripe mangoes
¼ cup dark brown or turbinado sugar
1/8 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Plain or vanilla yogurt (optional)
Preheat oven broiler with top oven rack six inches away from element; line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Cut the two cheeks off each mango as close to the pit as possible. Place the mango slices on the baking sheet.
You may want to cut a small sliver off the bottom of each one so they don’t roll around.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, ginger and cinnamon; sprinkle an equal amount evenly over top of each mango portion. Broil until the sugar has caramelized, about three minutes, watching carefully to make sure sugar doesn’t burn.
Serve immediately with a dollop of yogurt on top. Makes four servings.
Mango Lemonade
3 cups water, divided use
1⁄3 cup sugar
2 ripe mangoes, peeled and diced, then puréed in a food processor
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Combine one cup of water and the sugar in a small saucepan; stir over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool to lukewarm.
In a large pitcher, combine the sugar mixture, the remaining two cups of water, mango purée and lemon juice. Stir until completely combined; taste and adjust sweetness if required (adding more sugar or lemon juice). Serve over ice. Makes four servings.
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Angela Shellard is aself-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: [email protected].
Contact: [email protected].
