This dish received the highest honor at a Derby party this past weekend.  As I joined a group at one of the tables, one (delightful) lady remarked, “This mango salsa is wonderful.”  I thanked her before I realized that she didn’t know it was a dish I had made!  Nothing more satisfying than an “overheard” compliment.

This works well with either fresh mangos or use the almost-fresh ones in refrigerated jars in your produce section.  (A 24-oz jar yields about two cups of diced mango.)  It also works well as a salad; serve a generous half cup on a leaf of lettuce.  As a salad this would be a perfect side for a Mothers’ Day brunch to accompany a migas frittata.

Mango Orange Salsa

Serves 4 as a salad or 10-12 as a dip; makes a little over 2 cups

• 2 cups diced mango

• ½ cup minced red bell pepper

• 2 Tbsp sliced green onions, just the white and light green part

• 2 Tbsp minced poblano pepper (or green bell pepper)

• 1 lime, juice and zest
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 6 Tbsp low-sugar orange marmalade (sugar-free is okay, too)
• ¼ tsp chili powder

Combine the mango and next 3 ingredients in a bowl.  In a separate bowl mix the lime juice and zest with the next 3 ingredients, then pour over the mango mixture.  Stir.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Can be made the day before.

(Nutritional info coming soon.)

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Today there are hundreds of recipes for haroset with the common ingredients being apples, nuts, cinnamon, and very sweet wine.  This recipe uses juice concentrate and a touch of brandy flavoring in place of the wine, but would work well with wine, sherry, or brandy.  You can add any other fruits, such as mango, that appeal to you.  It’s delicious.  Hard to stop at one serving.

Haroset

Serves 4; about 15 minutes hands on time; ready in 15 minutes

• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled & chopped
• 1 lemon, zest & 1 Tbsp juice
• 1 (11 oz) can Mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 small banana, chopped
• 2 Tbsp coconut
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup pecans, toasted, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tbsp honey
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
• ⅛ tsp brandy flavoring (extract)

Toss the lemon zest & juice with the apple.  Add oranges and next 5 ingredients.  In a small bowl, combine honey and remaining ingredients.  Pour over the fruits.  Mix well.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Per serving:  approximately 175 calories; 6.0 g. fat; 32.4 g. carbs; 3.3 g. fiber; 1.9 g. protein

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The “approved” list . . .

• Balsamic Vinaigrette, such as the fat-free one from Olde Cape Cod
• Ranch, light or low fat, prefer Hidden Valley
• Italian, light and definitely not fat-free (yuck!), Newman’s Own is the favorite here
• Hellman’s (or Best) Reduced Fat Mayo, with the green lid, the only lower fat mayo that tastes like the real thing
• Now add to this list, Ken’s Steak House Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette. It’s low-fat, weighing in at 40 calories a tablespoon which is just the right amount for 1-1/2 to 2 cups of salad greens.

We used this dressing in Cherry Walnut Green Salad (Serves 4; ready in 10 minutes)

• 4 cups Italian salad greens mix
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted
• 2-3 Tbsp dried cherries (sweet or tart)
• 3-4 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 cup raspberry vinaigrette

Combine the greens and spinach; toss. Top with the walnuts, cherries, cheese, and dressing. Toss and serve.

This was t-rrific. In fact, we made it two nights in a row. And as you can see, it is so-oo-o easy and quick.

It’s also very pretty. Sighhhh. If only we could include pictures on this blog.

Oh, wait! Stay tuned for next week’s announcement about a major blog remodel.

And in the meantime, have a great weekend.