There is something sensual about gripping the mango and pulling it up close to my nose, the smell of sweetness instantly triggers my taste buds and I get a tingling sensations in the back of my cheeks. It’s that perfumed fruit that takes me back to paradise, the tropical lands, the Caribbean and it is as if I could hear the sounds of the waves crashing while I sip on a Mango Sangria.
One of the most important aspects of a recipe or ingredients is the combination of flavors and ingredients. Mangoes go well with cilantro, cinnamon and fish. Let us share with you some ingredients that pair well with mangoes, as well as the ones that should be avoided. Ingredients that complement mangoes would be rum, coffee, almonds, amaretto, and fragrant spices such as star anise, nutmeg and curry powder. The two ingredients that should be avoided when preparing dishes with mangoes are soy sauce and wasabi.
For a beach fête or a cocktail night with friends, this Mango Sangria will be the perfect touch.
Mango Sangria
Ingredients
1 bottle of Moscato D’Asti
2 bottles of dry sparkling wine (Prosecco or Champagne)
Fruit selection: mangoes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries
For the most flavorful sangria, it is highly recommended to macerate the fruits in the Moscato D’Asti for 12 hours
Depending on the amount of sangria, one freshly squeezed lime will mellow out the sweetness from all the fruits
Wait, our Mango journey isn’t over, take out your Martini glasses, because we are making a Ceviche with a twist
Mango-Tuna Ceviche
Ingredients
2 cups of cubed mango
1 lb. of Sashimi-Quality skinless fish such as Tuna cut into ½ inch cubes
½ cup of fresh orange juice
½ cup of fresh lime juice
1 small red onion thinly sliced
1 fresh Habanero chile, stemmed with seeds removed and finely sliced
1 small avocado
Cilantro
Preparation
The fish should be placed in a large stainless steel or glass bowl with the lime and orange juice, and the thinly sliced Habanero chile. It is important for the fish to be submerged in the juices, so it will allow it to cook. Depending on your preference, 30 minutes in the citrus juices will be a medium-rare fish and 3 to 4 hours marinating it will be a fully cooked fish. Once it has rested in the citric juices, add the diced mangoes, avocado and red onion to the mixture. Make sure to season the avocados with salt, because salt brings out all the natural flavors in the dish. The chopped cilantro is now added to the mixture. You may transfer the Ceviche to the Martini glass, and garnish it with whole cilantro leaves. ■