Tropical Bounty: Mango Recipes

For those living in the sub-tropic haven of South Florida, summer means mangoes. The tropical trees flourish in these parts, producing hundreds of nectary goodness biennially, so much so that there is almost always someone in your life (family, friends, coworkers) that brings in bundles of fruit from May through August to share. Capitalize on this unique South Florida bounty with these mango-themed recipes. Enjoy!

• Have a mango tree at home? The University of Florida’s IFAS Extension office has tons of advice on how to achieve maximum yield of that mango harvest here.

Turn mango madness into a true Caribbean delight with this recipe for grilled snapper with mango salsa.

Snapper and Mango Salsa

   Serves 4

• 4 6 oz. red snapper fillets, skin-on
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. lime zest

Method:

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice; brush all side of fish with vinaigrette. Season fillets with salt and pepper. Grill fillets, skin side down, without flipping, until the center is just opaque and crisp along the edges. Remove skin and serve with mango salsa.

Mango Salsa

• 1 large mango, peeled, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 medium purple onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cored pineapple, chopped
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tsp. white vinegar
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl; toss gently. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.

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Grilled Shrimp with Mango & Orange Barbecue Sauce

   Serves 4

• 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 mango, peeled and diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced small
• 1/4 cup fresh chives or scallions, sliced small
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Sea salt to taste
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• Oil for cooking
• Lemon and fresh parsley for garnish

Method:

1. In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, ketchup, lime juice and soy sauce; heat until bubbly and thick.
2. Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the preheated sauté pan.
4. Add diced bell peppers to the sauté pan and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the shrimp and mango to the sauté pan and continue to cook for 3 minutes.
6. Carefully add the orange barbecue sauce to the sauté pan with the shrimp.
7. Continue to cook until the shrimp are almost done.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
9. Toss in the scallion or chives and serve immediately.
10. Garnish with lemon and fresh parsley.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Justin Timineri and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. For more recipes coming from Timineri’s kitchen, click here.

Sweet, Spicy, and Cool

If there was one good thing that came from the Colonial times, it has to be mango chutney. A mix of sweet and spicy, the marmalade type condiment enlivens the taste buds and certainly emboldens that light white meat dish—chicken, snapper, shrimp, what have you. With such versatility, we thought, why not add cool to the sweet and spicy, and whip-up a mango chutney sorbet? But wait, there’s more… To the dismay of many a home cook, we’re also adding a bit of booze to the mix. There are two reasons for this: it makes for an even more refreshing summertime libation; and, the alcohol helps keep the sorbet from getting too icy. Traditional sorbets call for frozen fruit juices, sugar, and water. And while delicious, many fruit juices make for rather icy sorbets—I’m looking at you lemon. The alcohol helps tamp-down those large ice crystals from forming. So, after a long-winded to-do, here’s our recipe.

• This recipe calls for the use of an ice cream maker. Be sure to place the ice cream maker bowl in the freezer a few days before making this recipe—you want it good and cold for this sorbet.

Mango Chutney Sorbet

• 4 peeled and cut mangoes
• 2 tbsp. crystallized ginger, chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
• 1 chili pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tsp. curry powder (yellow for mild, red for spicy)
• 1 cup vodka, less if you prefer *
• 1/2 cup of strawberries, cored and chopped

Method:

1. In a bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, and curry powder. Set aside.
2. In a sauté pan, add a very small amount of oil and sauté pepper and ginger for just a few moments – this is more to flavor the oil. Add mango, cook for about a minute on medium heat, stirring to prevent burning. Add sugar, vinegar, and curry powder, combine thoroughly.
3. Reduce mango mixture on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cherries; stir to combine. Remove from heat and put in container in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
4. Refrigerate for minimum of three hours before starting the sorbet process. Put mango chutney in blender and process until smooth. Add vodka, and process some more.
5. Using an ice cream maker, process the puree according to the direction of the ice cream maker. Transfer mixture to storage containers and place in the freezer until firm, at least six hours, before serving.

*Get the smoothest vodka you can find –as close to flavorless as possible is ideal. If you are opposed to including vodka (it’s not exactly kid-friendly, but neither is curry), add a few tablespoons of water to compensate. But be forewarned, the sorbet will be a tad icy.

Go to page two for recipes for frozen mango daiquiris, mango sours, and a special mango dessert.

Stir up some flavor with these mango-infused libations.

Mango Daiquiris

   Serves 8

• 2-3 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups light rum
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (4 limes)
• 1 tbsp. simple syrup
• Ice for blending

Method:

In a blender, add mango, rum, lime juice, and simple syrup; blend until smooth. Add ice in small increments, pulsing with the blender until the right consistency for you. Serve in a hurricane glass and garnish with a slice of mango if the mood arises. Enjoy!

Mango Sour

   Serves 2

• 1 cup fresh Florida mango nectar
• 3/4 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar

Method:

1. Stir together nectar, vodka, lemon juice, and sugar in a 1-quart glass measure.
2. Shake half of mixture in cocktail shaker half filled with ice cubes until cold, about 30 seconds.
3. Strain into glasses half filled with ice cubes.
4. Shake and strain remaining nectar mixture in same manner.

Mucho Mango Bread Pudding

   Serves 8

Pudding

• 6 slices bread or pound cake, torn into small pieces
• 2 mangos, peeled, seeded and diced into medium-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup natural sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 1 1/2 tsp. natural vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup natural sugar

Rum Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup natural sugar
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 3 tablespoons rum

Method:

Pudding

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lightly butter a 9×11-inch glass baking dish.
3. Toss together the pieces of bread and mango; pour into buttered baking dish.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla and cardamom.
5. Pour over the bread and mango mixture.
6. Place small dollops of butter on top of the pudding (approximately 1/4 stick of butter total).
7. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until slightly puffed and golden brown.
8. Serve warm with ice cream and fresh, sliced mangoes.
9. Drizzle Rum Sauce over the top.

Rum Sauce

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Mix together the sugar and cornstarch; stir into the melted butter.
3. Slowly pour in milk, stirring frequently until the mixture begins to lightly boil.
4. Continue cooking until thick, stirring constantly.
5. Remove from heat and stir in rum.
6. Serve warm.

Mango Sour and Mucho Mango Bread Pudding recipes and images courtesy of Chef Justin Timineri and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. For more recipes coming from Timineri’s kitchen, click here.