My first taste of mango must have been many years ago while traveling in Mexico. It was served peeled on a stick with sides slashed in the fruit for easy eating. A pinch or two of red chile powder was sometimes added. I have loved mangoes every since.
Summertime in the Desert Southwest is mango season. Mangoes are piled high in the produce section of markets and are available in different colors - green, red, yellow and orange, but the flesh is usually golden yellow. If you want ripe mangoes, squeeze them gently to see if they yield slightly. If the mangoes need to ripen, leave them on the kitchen counter for several days and then refrigerate in a plastic bag.
My favorite way to enjoy mangoes must be done in the privacy of my own home. I peel a slightly chilled mango standing over the sink. Then I bite and slurp the fruit and finally gnaw on the bone, ignoring the sweet, sticky juice running down my arms to the elbows. Taking a shower after eating a mango like this would not be out of the question.
If you would like to learn about polite ways of eating mangoes, this YouTube video gives good hints on slicing and dicing them for easy consumption. How to Cut a Mango .
One of my favorite recipes using this popular fruit is Mango Salsa. I found the recipe many years ago in the 1997 Joy Of Cooking cookbook. Combine in a large bowl one small red onion, chopped, rinsed and drained and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice. (Rinsing the onion tones down the flavor. And be sure to use fresh limes!) Set this mixture aside while preparing the following ingredients: 1 large mango, peeled and coarsely chopped, 1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips, 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (very important ingredient for authenticity), 1 clove garlic, minced, 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (don't cheat here!) and 1 fresh jalapeño, finely chopped. Combine all ingredients and add salt and pepper to taste. Mango Salsa always receives rave reviews from guests.
Another mango recipe I have tried recently (Joy of Cooking, 2006) is for Mango Ice Cream. Ever since our son gifted us a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for which I ordered a frozen dessert attachment, I have been going wild experimenting with different flavors of ice cream.
Mango Ice Cream is the best I have made so far. Peel, pit and puree 2 pounds of very ripe mangoes. Put them in a bowl with 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt. Chill in fridge. In another bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, 1/2 cup whole milk, and 1/3 cup sugar. Allow this mixture to chill in fridge also.
When ready to make ice cream, I use the Kitchen Aid special bowl which has been in the freezer, add the milk mixture, run the mixer on stir for about 15 minutes and then add the fruit mixture for the last five minutes. Try to refrain from eating the mango ice cream as soft-serve at this stage!
It is even tastier after being placed in a bowl in the freezer for four to six hours.
Mangoes and summertime just seem to go together in the Desert Southwest. And did I mention that mangoes are the most widely consumed fruit in the world? Enjoy!
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