Crunchy mango salsa is simple and versatile

What are you waiting for? You’ve got to stock your pantry, fridge and freezer with crazy things like frozen mango, fresh herbs, lemon juice and sugar snap peas. Keep up! I know we seem to have weird things in our kitchen, but if you keep versatile foods like these on hand, you can whip up easy, healthy foods at a moment’s notice.

Like crunchy mango salsa, for instance. Keith was highly disturbed one evening when I was going to serve him orange roughy — gasp! — broiled with a bit of seasoning. Even the best of us are uninspired some nights (read: try cooking a gourmet meal with a four-year-old breathing down your neck).

Being the devoted wife, I set out to whip up something to make the fish palatable to my hard-working husband. A fruit salsa came to mind, and since I always have frozen mango in my freezer (thanks to Trader Joe’s and my penchant for mango cherry smoothies) this was an easy fix. I’ve since made this salsa many times, a little bit different each time. I’ll include my variations:

Crunchy Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup fresh snap peas, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped (or a mix of red, green, yellow or orange, but red looks the prettiest)
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped (or sliced scallions, chives or shallots)
• 1 cup frozen mango, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (or basil, or parsley)
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• a splash of cider vinegar (optional)
• a pinch of sea salt (optional)

You may want to cook the onions for 30 seconds or so in a bit of oil in the microwave to take the edge off. You are going to be very tempted to try lime juice, but don’t do it — it doesn’t bring out the other flavors like the lemon juice does and your salsa will end up bland.

Now mix all ingredients together and serve over fish, chicken, with corn chips, rice crackers or a spoon!

Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Jun 02, 2009 @ 09:00 EST5EDT