Mango madness

MANGOES abound at this time of the year and in addition to enjoying their orange, sweet, and fleshy goodness straight off the seed there are a myriad of ways we can include them in delicious recipes.

Not all mangoes are meant to be cooked or included in desserts. If you are going to enjoy them in different recipes go for mangoes that are smooth textured without a lot of stringy texture. If you’re including them in a salad use them at the half ripened stage. I always favour Julie mangoes for cooking and baking; they hold up very well and have a smooth and firm texture.

Jerked chicken brochettes with mango salsa

2 lbs boneless chicken pieces cut into 1½ inch pieces

4 tbs jerk marinade

2 tbs vegetable oil

8 wooden skewers soaked in water for 4 hours

For the chicken:

Combine jerk marinade with oil, add chicken and combine, let marinade for about 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat gas grill or barbecue, or broiler.

Thread chicken onto skewers and place onto preheated grill or broiler.

Grill for about 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with mango salsa, and a rice pilaf.

Mango salsa

2 mangoes, half ripe, preferably Julie mango or any large smooth textured mango

1 clove garlic minced

½ hot pepper finely chopped and seeded (more or less to taste)

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped or chadon beni

Combine mangoes, garlic, pepper, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Let stand for one hour before serving. Add the cilantro last.

Makes about 3 cups

Mango pineapple ice box dream

1 cup crushed coconut cookies

2 tbs melted butter

Preheat oven to 325f. Crush cookies to fine texture, add butter and mix. Press into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form tin. Bake for 10 minutes, remove and cool.

½ medium pineapple peeled and grated

1/3 cup cornstarch

½ cup granulated sugar

2 egg yolks

2 large, ripe, firm fleshed mangoes (preferably Julie)

1 cup whipping cream

Drain pineapple and reserve. Combine the cornstarch with sugar. Beat the yolks with an electric mixer and beat in grated pineapple. Add the cornstarch mixture. Transfer to a double boiler and cook over simmering water, stirring until thick remove and cool. Peel mangoes, slice the flesh off the seed and chop flesh. Fold into cooled pineapple mixture. Beat cream until peaks form, fold gently into pineapple mixture. Spoon into coconut cookie crust and freeze until ready to serve. Serves 8 to 10

Mango watercress salad

The sweetness of the mangoes balances with the peppery flavour of the watercress in this salad

You won’t need all the dressing, refrigerate what’s left.

1 bunch watercress, washed and dried

4 half-ripened Julie mangoes, flesh cut into julienne

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 small sweet red pepper, cut into julienne

1/4 cup chopped chadon beni or cilantro

Dressing

1/3 cup wine vinegar

2 tbs fresh lime juice

2 cloves garlic

2/3 cup olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all vegetables into a large salad bowl. Whisk the vinegar with the lime juice and garlic. Add the olive oil in a steady stream. Whisk until thick. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour some dressing onto salad and toss just to coat the watercress, don’t all too much. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Refreshing mango sorbet with cardamom

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp crushed cardamom pods

2 cups mango pulp

Boil water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Cool and stir in lime juice, cardamom and mango pulp. Pour into an ice cream freezer and process according to manufacturers directions. Makes about 3 cups

Wendy’s Cooking classes:

Delicious Breads, June 9.

Trini-Style Cooking, June 23.

Teen and Kids Cooking

Camps in July

Call 357-0927 to register