Its the peak of mango season around here and as you can see from above, we are literally swimming in the juicy wonderful fruit. If you have never been lucky enough to eat a mango at the peak of season in a place where they grow(I'm sorry, but the grocery store mangos in the states are a sad substitute), you must put it on your life list. Its comparable, although quite different, to a peach at the height of season. They come in all different shapes, sizes and colors around here. I saw a green and red one the other day that was the size of a human head. The most typical here in Bamako, though, is the small yellow kidney mango, best eaten by rubbing it soft, nipping off an end and drinking up the juice. Ian came home with manguru nin the other day, literally translated to little mangos, although I think its referring more to the small seed because there is a ridiculous amount of heavenly flesh.
We've started a bit of a routine around here. We eat the outside bits closest to the flesh and then leave some meat on the seed for Marshall to gleefully suck dry. He enters another dimension when he's eating them. He's not to be disturbed.
I've been thinking about new ways to take advantage of mangos in my cooking. Here is something we've had the past couple of nights that was super tasty and that can easily me made with Ameriki mangos or even subbed with peaches. It also takes advantage of the avocados that are now in season around here. I'm truly in heaven...this, in particular, will be hard to give up.
Pulled pork in Mango bbq sauce on bread with avocado
Serves 2
1 loaf crusty French bread
1 soft large avocado
1/2lb pulled pork or sliced pork tenderloin(I marinated mine in mango juice 24 hours before cooking it. A good smoked pulled pork though would be best. We had to boil ours...seriously...so sad)
Mango bbq sauce
1 T light olive oil
1/4 c minced onions
1 t minced hot pepper
1 1/2 T minced garlic
1/3 c white vinegar
1 c really soft minced mango or mango mixed with mango nectar or peaches or other combos of the two...
1 T sugar...if doing this with a mango bought in the states, make it 2 T
1/2 t hot dijon mustard
Heat oil over medium high heat. Cook onions and pepper in it for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Degalze the pan with vinegar and bring to a boil, cook down a bit, maybe a minute or two. Add mango/peach/whatever, sugar and mustard. Bring to a boil again and simmer until everything is really soft and smooth.
Turn off heat and mix pork into sauce. Break 2 6-8" pieces off the bread and open up. Smash 1/2 of avocado into each evenly, top with pork and fold closed. Enjoy! If I was really motivated, I would serve with some yummy plantain chips.
I'm so happy that peach season will be peaking when we are set to get back to Oregon. There is going to be some serious withdrawl around here. We even like the dried ones here that we've vowed to line our luggage with on the way home.
Go enjoy a mango today!
