Mixed Emotions
By Cynthia Bowan
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We all know what it means to have "mixed emotions" about something. In fact, there are even jokes about what mixed emotions means. For example:
1) Mixed emotions: seeing your mother-in-law drive over a cliff in your brand new BMW.
I am suffering from a severe case of mixed emotions this month. Well, first of all, in a couple of days, it will be Valentine's Day. I LOVE Valentine's Day (you can tell that by reading my past February columns here on Chef2Chef…) And, folks are now celebrating Chinese New Year, 2005, the Year of the Rooster.
Valentine's Day is my second favorite holiday (the first being Christmas, of course <G>), and I love Chinese food. Thus my dilemma - do I write a column about Valentine's Day, or do I write about Chinese Food? And, should I decide to combine the two, how would it be possible? What common thread could pull this together?
As luck would have it, (if one
believes in "luck") or better yet, inspiration, I did discover a common ingredient, one that I love, one that makes me think of LOVE (passion <G>), tropical islands and beaches on yet another snowy cold Pennsylvania day. The special/main ingredient is - as Mark Dacascos says on Iron Chef American: "Allez cuisine"! - Mangoes!
Recently, our small town gained a very respectable, decent Chinese restaurant, Imperial Garden, where the chef has many different and perhaps, daring dishes to offer. Chief among them are a chicken in mango sauce and shrimp in fruit sauce (huge prawns, batter-dipped and deep-fried, piled high on top of a pool of golden mango sauce, with thin strips of fresh mango…) Oh, if I could only have that for our Valentine's Day dinner! With spring rolls or a pu-pu platter, and steamed rice…and then to go home, perhaps, to have a special dessert like, oh, perhaps cheesecake baked in a heart-shaped pan?
However, since my significant other of long standing (AKA, Merrill, my spouse of 40-plus years and five years of "going together" (he's the one who had to make up his mind <G>) will be working late that night, like most Mondays, I will have dinner at home. So perhaps, no matter what the entrée is, I can have mango somewhere on the menu…
After
all these years, we take things day by day, for it is a wonder to us, something not to be taken lightly or for granted, that we still have this deep love between us. It hasn't been easy, there have been times when I looked at him and saw a stranger and wondered who the heck that man in my kitchen was…and I am sure Merrill has done the others. Hmmm…could this be mixed emotions once again?
Nope. No regrets, either. Oh, there have been times neither of us would wish to go through again, but the love overcomes it all. Love strengthens you, gives you comfort and courage, wipes your tears, helps you overcome your fears, rejoices with you, weeps with you, holds you up when you can not stand by yourself, and never lets you go.
I hope you will have a beautiful Valentine's Day, and I hope you will Enjoy! the following recipes. And as always, CYH - consider yourself hugged.
Chicken Breast in Mango Sauce
3 large mangoes; peeled, pitted and the flesh cubed
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved
1/4 c. flour
2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. light rum
2 T. sugar
In a blender, puree two thirds of the mango cubes until smooth. Set aside. Dredge the chicken breast halve lightly in the flour, shake off any excess.
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil until hot. Add the chicken breasts and saute until brown on one side (5-7 minutes). Turn and saute the other side (5-7 minutes) until cooked through.
While the chicken cooks, combine the remaining mango cubes, rum and sugar in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves. Add the mango puree and cook, stirring until the mixture is hot.
Reduce the heat to low and keep warm until the chicken is ready. When chicken is cooked, place on dinner plate and cover with mango sauce.
Curried Mango Sauce
1 ripe Mango, about 12 oz.
2 T. peanut or vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. Curry powder
2 T. fresh mint leaves
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 1/2 T. fresh lime juice
Pare mango, cut flesh from pit, and place in blender. Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add curry powder, stir until blended and remove from heat. Add curry mixture and mint to mango. With blender running, pour in broth. Remove to bowl, add limejuice and salt to taste and stir vigorously. Serve warm or at room temperature with grilled shrimp or chicken breasts.
Mango Pork
2 medium ripe mangoes
3/4 pound Pork tenderloin
Vegetable oil spray
Salt and pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce
Slice 1 mango in half around the pit. Scoop out pulp with a spoon and puree in a food processor or blender. Cube the other mango.
Remove fat from pork and cut into 1 inch slices. Flatten slices with the palm of your hand. Spray medium pan with vegetable oil spray and heat on medium high. Brown the pork for 1 minute on each side. Season each side with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and cook pork another 5 minutes to cook thoroughly. Remove to a plate and add mango puree to pan. Cook the puree about 30 seconds scraping up brown bits of pork as it cooks. Add several drops Tabasco sauce and mango cubes. Toss cubes in puree for another 30 seconds. Spoon sauce over pork and serve with pasta.
Serves 2.
Spinach Mango Salad Vinaigrette
4 c. baby spinach leaves, washed well, stems cut off
1 large mango, peeled, cut into chunks
2 green onions, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Ginger vinaigrette (recipe follows)
To serve, combine spinach with mango and onions, drizzle ½ ginger vinaigrette over salad. Toss to coat. Store leftover vinaigrette in tightly covered container in refrigerator.
Ginger Vinaigrette
6 T. rice vinegar
1 ½ T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ tsp. chopped, peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp. honey (use a light honey)
Blend all ingredients in a blender, food processor or a tightly sealed container that can be shaken, until smooth.
Mango Bread
2 tsp. vanilla or 1 T. Vanilla Rum
2 c. diced mangoes
1/2 c. coconut, shredded
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. cooking oil
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. finely chopped walnuts
Place vanilla or rum in a small bowl. Add coconut and mangoes, stirring gently. Set aside.
Sift flour, salt, soda, and cinnamon together. Make a well in dry ingredients and add eggs and oil; mix well. Stir in mango mixture and walnuts, gently mixing well. Pour batter into 2 greased 8 x 4 x2 loaf pans. Let stand 20 minutes before baking at 350F. for one hour.
If desired, sprinkle powdered sugar over the top of each loaf. Icing will not be needed...makes 2 loaves.
Mango Pie
2 1/2 c. peeled and sliced ripe mango
2 T. quick-cooking tapioca
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. fresh limejuice
1 T. melted butter
pastry for two-crust pie, 9-inch
Combine mango slices, tapioca, sugar, salt, lime juice and melted butter. Toss to combine, let stand for 15 to 20 minutes. Roll out half of the pastry very thin; line a 9-inch pie pan; trim edge. Roll out remaining pastry very thin. Fill shell with fruit mixture; moisten edge of crust. Place the top crust on filling; make several slits in top to vent steam. Trim top crust leaving it just a little larger than the pan. Press top crust and moistened bottom crust edge together; fold excess top under the bottom edge. Flute all around rim. Bake mango pie at 425° for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until top is well browned.
Mango Tarts
2 c. flour
5 oz. unsalted butter (1 stick + 1 T.)
1 egg yolk
3 T. confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 - 6 T. cold water
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
3 Mangoes, not too ripe
2 T. melted butter
Make pastry dough by placing flour, butter, egg yolk, sugar and salt in food processor and pulsing until texture resembles a course meal. Add water tablespoon by tablespoon.
Assemble dough into small ball, wrap in plastic film and flatten to 1" circle. Chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out dough and cut into 4 1/4" rounds and let chill for another 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Make caramel in non-reactive pan with sugar and water. Heat six 8 oz. ramekins in the oven.
When sugar and water is a warm amber color, place pan in bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Pour caramel into hot pans, and fill with mango slices. Brush mango slices with melted butter. Prick pastry rounds with fork and place on top of mangoes. Bake in a 400F. oven for 25 minutes or until pastry is browned.
By Cynthia Bowan
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Chicken Breast in Mango Sauce |
Curried Mango Sauce |
Mango Pork
Spinach Mango Salad Vinaigrette |
Mango Bread |
Mango Pie |
Mango Tarts
