Being that it is May, we can welcome the arrival of the Mango. While growing up, I never ate many mangoes (or other tropical fruit), both because my mother is not a big fan of such things (which are not traditionally eaten in the Italian diet) and also more because we ate what was fresh, local, cheap and very good California produce. Mangos, these days, are widely available and actually looking pretty good, so why not put them to use? While they are unfortunately not local to us in the USA,...they are very tasty, and a good for you treat.
Mango fruit is actually an excellent source of Vitamin A and flavonoids like beta carotene and alpha- carotene. Not to mention Vitamin C and Potassium. Since the Californian in me really loves modern Mexican food, below is a fantastic, and fantastically simple, recipe for Mango Avocado Salsa. The cilantro really adds some freshness (and a little kick), so be sure that you have it on hand.
1 tomato, seeded, diced
1 green onion, finely sliced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder or paprika
1tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño chili, minced
1 avocado, diced
Salt to taste (roughly 1/8 tsp)
Mix all the ingredients, gently, in a bowl and serve. You can also mix the ingredients ahead of time, adding the avocado at the last minute (so that it does not turn brown from oxidation...although the lime juice will help a bit in avoiding that). If you do not like heat, you can leave out the jalapeño.
One of the best things about this salsa is that it is versatile. It goes perfectly on its own with some hearty, thick, tortilla chips (or pita chips), or as an accompaniment to grilled seafood or chicken.
