The warm weather brings about large bounties of peaches, watermelons and strawberries.Yet there's another summer fruit that's both versatile in savory and sweet dishes. It's the mango, that ripe orange fruit with the creamy flesh. It's just the perfect fruit for now.
Regular contributor Yewande Komolafe wrote about them in yesterday's New York Wednesday Food section.However unlike other fruits where mangoes are grown influence the flavor and sweetness. There's no homogeneity unlike with berries and stone fruits. Some are sweeter than other while other have a fibrous flesh. The best ones should be so juicy that the juices run down the chin.Ms. Komolafe grew up in the Nigerian capital of Lagos. There mango trees graced the roads with the air being filled with eh evergreen like scent of the branches and the sweet aroma of the fruit.Nigerians eat the whole fruit, skin and all, In New York it's a bit different. Slice off a bit of each cheek and eat towards the middle.It took Ms Komolafe a while before she took her first bite of a city sold fruit.Shopping for mangoes is like shopping for any other fruit.Focus on feel and color rather than aroma. There should be some give to the flesh like an avocado. Do the sniff test. A ripe mango will have a sweet fruity aroma. Go for these.
Ms. Komolafe gives a plethora of different recipes. There is a salad featuring the other stars of the season - tomatoes. They should be the Heirloom variety for the ultimate sweetness. Shallots are also added a long with butter lettuce or romaine hearts.Use two ripe sliced mangoes, peeled pitted and cut in half inch slices. The vinaigrette is a simple one.,perfect for summer.It's a neutral oil like grapeseed mixed with apple cider vinegar ,honey and Dijon mustard. For a great side with spicy grilled chicken there is a mango pepper relish.The sweet fruit is pickled with fiery Scotch Bonnets pr birds eye peppers along with green peppers and onions Lime juice gives it zing while rice wine vinegar adds the pickling aspect.Sugar is also added to gel everything together. Use three slightly firm but ripe mangoes for this.Yes there is a lush mango dessert.This is mango shortcakes with a lime coconut cream.The shortcakes have shredded coconut for added sweetness. The filling is three cubed and peeled just ripe mangoes mixed with lime juice. Salt and epper temper the sweetness. It;s layered with a homemade whipped cream fora truly summery decadence.
Mangoes are a summer star .Use them in both savory and sweet recipes.They're delicious and sweet , perfect on their own or with other flavors.
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