Mango Salsa
In the early third of my pregnancy I lost my usual enthusiasm for vegetables. Then winter set in and I was still not very inclined to eat fresh greens. Maybe it is the recent days of sunshine, the promise of truly warm days this weekend, or my body finally waking to spring but I’ve finally become eager to eat more fresh vegetables. Cucumbers and grape tomatoes and salads of all kinds have been almost irresistible. While I love to eat what is local and in season, at the end of a long winter I find myself craving a blast of fresh, juicy, and colorful food. While I know that greenhouses around here must be nearly overflowing with seedlings ready to be planted and grown into amazing produce, this time of year there is very little local produce to be found. I know how lucky I am to be able to eat fresh fruits and vegetables right now and I do my best to use them wisely and enjoy them thoroughly.
Right now, somewhere far away, mangoes are in season. Their taste reminds me of breakfast in Costa Rica. In April, three years ago, we were there and most mornings we woke up and ate breakfast at a long wooden table in an open air room, surrounded by other volunteers, the sounds of morning in the rain forest, and the gradual rising of the heat of the day. Its amazing the way that tastes can take us to far away places and times and suddenly I am remembering vivid details. A bit of mango and I can almost feel what it was like to be in that climate again.
I turned some of my mangoes into a very simple salsa. You hardly need a recipe but if you are still waiting for spring produce and you find yourself near some mangoes, I recommend indulging in this brightly colored, flavorful treat.
Mango Salsa
Eat it with tortilla chips, on top of quesadillas or any other way that you enjoy salsa. If you like your salsa spicy, add minced jalapeno pepper to your preferred taste. This salsa would also be excellent with the addition of chopped avocadoes.
2-3 medium sized ripe mangoes
1 small red onion
1 cup fresh cilantro
Juice of half a lime
Salt and cumin
Peel the mangoes and remove the fruit from the pit. Chop the fruit into small pieces. Finely chop the onion and cilantro. Mix the mango, onion, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl. Add salt and cumin to your taste. Mix together and taste to adjust seasonings. Makes about 2 cups of salsa.