Other than eating a juicy mango, I offer the best mango recipes that you may use incorporating this tropical fruit.
I have recipes for fresh mango salsa, mango iced tea, mango margaritas and mango dessert recipes including mango ice cream and chutney.
Buying Mangoes
The skin of a ripe mango is usually yellow, yellow and red, or orange and red. It will also smell fruity and will be slightly soft when gentle pressure is applied.
Choose ripe mangoes if you will eat them right away. A mango that is mostly green may not ripen at all.
Eat or use ripe mangoes right away or store them in the refrigerator for only a day or two. Some of the flavor is lost in refrigeration.
Mangoes that are not quite ripe can be placed in a paper bag, kept in a cool place out of the direct sunlight.
To cut a mango easily, slice crosswise around either side of the pit; pull the two halves apart – then use a knife to cut vertical and horizontal lines, creating bite sized pieces.
Finally turning the skins inside out to remove the flesh. Eat the cubes right off the skin or peel them off and use them in the recipe below.
Mango Recipes
MANGO ICED TEA
1-1/2 quarts of cold water
6 Luzianne tea bags
2 cups mango nectar
Sugar, to taste
thinly sliced mangoes for garnish
Bring the water to a boil and remove from heat. Add the tea bags and steep until the water is dark; or five minutes. Remove the tea bags – add the mango nectar and sweeten with sugar to taste. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour into a large glass of ice and garnish with the mango slices. You may rim the glass with sugar if you would like.
HOMEMADE MANGO SORBET RECIPE
makes almost 1 quart
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3 ripe mangos (about 2 1/2 pounds)
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons coconut rum (optional)
Heat the sugar and water in a medium saucepan until the sugar has completely dissolved. Set aside to cool. Cut the mango from the skin.
Put the mango pieces, sugar water, and salt into a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Pour into a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely chilled.
When ready to put the chilled lime mango purée into your ice cream maker, mix in the rum. Process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the ice cream maker directions.
Transfer mixture to a plastic storage container and freeze in your freezer until firm, at least 6 hours.
FRESH MANGO MARTINI RECIPE
Of all my fresh mango recipes…this one is the bomb.
Mango Puree:
2 cups fresh cubed mango
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1/3 cup water
3 tsp granulated sugar
Place in a food processor and puree.
Mango Martini:
2 oz vodka
1 oz vermouth
4 oz mango puree (ingredients above)
1/4 cup crushed ice
Mix the above ingredients together and pour into chilled martini glass. You can wet the glass wtih a piece of mango and dip in sugar to rim the outside if you like.
Add a slice of mango for garnish.
This mango recipe is a winner. So good on a hot summer day.
MANGO ICE CREAM
2 ripe mangoes – peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
grated zest AND juice of one lime
1/2 cup white sugar
1 TBS molasses
pinch of coarse salt
2 cups heavy cream
Process the mangoes in a blender or food processor until it is a smooth puree. Add the lime zest, lime juice, sugar, molasses and salt. Process until the sugar is dissolved.
Place puree in a bowl and whisk in the cream. Cover and put in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Freeze the ice cream according to your ice cream makers manufacturers instructions.
Meanwhile, when the ice cream is hardening up:
1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1/3 cup white sugar
Pour the sugar into a heavy skillet and heat on medium; swirling the sugar around until it is a dark amber color. Add the diced mango. The caramel will spit and sputter, but do not worry – cook and stir until the caramel dissolves. Scrape into a bowl and chill.
When the ice cream is just about frozen, add the caramelized mangoes. If it starts to soften and melt, just refreeze it until it is firm. Transfer to a container with a lid and let the ice cream sit in the freezer for two hours to incorporate the flavor. This is awesome stuff.
This fresh mango recipe for salsa is great on grilled fish, chicken, pork or with chips.
FRESH MANGO SALSA
2 fresh mangoes, diced
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 TBS canola oil
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped OR fresh basil, chopped
2 tsp fresh lemon OR lime juice
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine in a bowl. Serve with tortilla chips, fresh fish, chicken, grilled pork; anything.
MANGO CHUTNEY
6 firm half-ripe mangoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup homemade light brown sugar, packed
2 TBS minced garlic
1 2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper salt and freshly ground pepper
In a large skillet bring all the ingredients to boil, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring constantly from sticking to the bottom of the skillet.
Remove from heat and let the chutney cool before serving. Always keep it refrigerated.