MANGOEY MANGOES

I can’t say enough about Mangoes. I love, love, love to eat them and to cook with them! Mangoes are very versatile and you can add them to salads, salsas and desserts. Ripe mangoes are sweet and very aromatic. Unripe mangoes are tart and can be used for pickling and chutneys.

Here are some really fun and interesting facts about Mangoes:

• Did you know that the shape of the mango was inspiration for the paisley pattern which was developed in India?

• A mango tree can grow over 100 feet tall.

• Mangoes are available all year long but the peak season is May through September and the U.S. gets most of them from Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Guatemala and Haiti.

• They are the most popular fruit in the world.

• A cup of mango is just 100 calories.

• Mangoes provide 100% of your daily vitamin C, 35% of your daily vitamin A and 12% of your daily fiber.

• Mangoes are said to strengthen and invigorate the nerve in most parts of the body”. If you feel low in energy, eat a mango!

• Color has nothing to do with its ripeness, so a red mango doesn’t necessarily mean that it is ready to eat and avoid ones with black spots – squeeze it gently to test for tenderness.

• The Mango is a natural tenderizer so it is a perfect ingredient for marinades.

• You can rehydrate dried mango and use it in pastries and desserts

Peeling a Mango:

The flesh clings to the seed so the easiest way to peel and cut a mango is to cut off both sides along the seed, called the cheeks. Score each cheek side with a sharp knife and do not cut through the skin. Push the skin inside out and the scored pieces will pop out and up. Peel them off or eat them directly from the peel.

Meat Marinade & Tenderizer:

Take two mangoes and peel using the score and pull-out method I described above. Place the mangoes in a food processor with salt, pepper and 1 medium onion. Blend ingredients until smooth. Add about 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro or parsley and pulse processor until incorporated. Spoon the marinade over beef, pork or chicken and coat well. Wrap in plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator overnight. (I like to take leftover Mango Salsa and puree in the food processor and use that as a marinade). Cook over grill for a great tasting dish!

NOTE: You can take the Tango Mango Salsa recipe I posted and stir in some shrimp for a quick salad and a complete meal! Also see the recipe for Mango King Crab Salad.