Archives for August 2014

Mango

It took me a long time to be confident enough to purchase my own mango. It was a mysterious tropical fruit. When I was in Hawaii for our honeymoon the mango was so delicious that when we returned to the mainland I just had to have it again. Like most things it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. An interesting fact about mango, it has a similar chemical make up to poison ivy. So if you are allergic to poison ivy you probably shouldn’t be the one handling the mango. Interesting fact about poison ivy, most native americans are not allergic to it. They actually used it to create tattoo ink years ago. Now, that you are oh so knowledgeable, go into the world and feast on fresh mango.

Season: All year round

What to look for when you buy:
Picking a good mango is all about feel. It should have a little give when you push on it. Similar to a peach or avocado.

How to store it:
Store them on the counter at room temperature. Mangos will ripen after you bring them home. If the house is warm they will ripen faster. If it isn’t warm and you want them to ripen faster you can try putting them in a brown paper bag.

How to prepare it:
Stand the mango so the stem is at the top. Cut down both sides avoiding the large pit. If you hit it just reposition the knife and keep trying. Once you have the two slices cut a grid into the flesh without cutting through the skin. Turn the skin inside out and cut off the cubes or scoop them out with a spoon. I haven’t tried it yet but saw a drawing showing how to stick a mango on a fork peel the top down and eat around the pit.

How to cook it:
Mangos don’t really require cooking but they can make a great addition to many recipes. Mango salsa is certainly a favorite use of mangos.

Links to some great mango recipes:

Mango Salsa - Mango salsa has to be my favorite appetizer
Thai Green Mango Salad - Mango salad would be a great addition to dinner on a hot summer night
Coconut Mango popsicles - They looks so pretty layered
Grilled mango and jalapeños - Proving you can grill anything!

Jalapeño

Jalapeño gives the perfect heat for me. Anything higher and I start squirming in my seat. Even though they are lower on the scoville scale they can be hot to handle. I don’t go as far as using gloves because I have found my hands aren’t that sensitive, but yours maybe. The heat comes from the seeds, but mostly from the white membrane. The more of that you remove the milder the flavor will be. The capsaicin, what causes the heat, lingers on your hands for a while. Talk to yourself, write yourself a note, do whatever it takes to remember to wash your hands after you cut the peppers. We have had a few mishaps here. I blew my nose with a kleenex and boy did it burn. Men, and women, careful if you go to the restroom. That is not an area you want to feel the heat. In case you forget, the best way to stop the burning is butter or milk. If you are paleo vegetable oil will do in a pinch. Eyes are the most common area to touch with pepper hands. If that happens flush it out with water, not milk. I hope you made that assumption on your own, but best to clarify. If you are going to cut large quantities at one time I highly recommend gloves.

Season: Summer

What to look for when you buy:
shiny, dark green, firm peppers. A little red on them is fine. That will indicate a more mature pepper and possibly a hotter pepper.

How to store it:
Toss your unwashed peppers into a brown paper bag and put them in the crisper for up to 2 weeks. If you refrigerate in plastic leave the top open so air can circulate.

How to prepare it:
Halve the peppers, scoop or cut out the seeds, remove as much white membrane as possible. Then prepare as your recipe directs.

How to cook it:
It isn’t likely you will cook them by themselves unless you are making jalapeño poppers. My favorite use is to dice them up and make some pico de gallo to use in eggs or as a base for salsa.

Links to some great jalapeño recipes:

Shredded Carrot Salad w/Jalapeno, Lime & Cilantro-We had this as a side with bbq and it was delicious.
Cilantro Lime Jalapeño Lemonade - I haven’t made this yet but I am very intrigued. God bless pinterest right?
Jalapeño Bread and Butter Pickles - That sounds adventurous.
Peach & Jalapeño pepper jam - not the recipe I used but it looks similar. This is one of my favorite jams to make

Welcome to the first post of my new weekly feature, how to store & eat.

The most important thing you can do for yourself is to put good stuff in you. Ya know, eat well. The most challenging thing about eating well is knowing what to do with fresh ingredients. Simple questions seem hard. What do I do with that? How do you store that? How do you cook that

Each week I will walk you through tips for buying, storing and cooking with some of my favorite fruits, vegetables and herbs.

Asparagus

I hated asparagus as a kid. My mom made me try it for years. Until I finally asked if I could just have broccoli instead. So glad she caved. To prove that tastes change over time I now love asparagus. I don’t love the unpleasant and smelly after effects but I will take it over not having asparagus. If you are new to asparagus the after effects are nothing to be alarmed about. Just remember there are effects when you head to the bathroom after a plate full of this delicious vegetable.

Season: Spring-early summer

What to look for at the store:
stalks that are similar in diameter with ends that aren’t too dried out.

How to store it:
Think of asparagus as what it really is, a flower. When you bring it home take it out of the pack trim the ends and stand it up in water. Place in the fridge and use as needed. By storing it this way my asparagus lasts an extra week longer. This is especially help since we buy in bulk at a warehouse store.

How to prepare it:
It used to be thought you should cut off the woodiest parts of the stalk because the base can be tough and stringy when cooked. This isn’t really the case in supermarket or farmer market asparagus so don’t waste it.

How to cook it:
Preheat to the oven to 400 degrees
Place your prepared spears on a cookie sheet. drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Place sheet in the oven for 20 minutes.

Links to some great asparagus recipes:

Bacon wrapped asparagus - just like Disneyland

15 great asparagus recipes - collection by Bless this Mess

Fried asparagus spears - yum!

It might seem I am starting with an odd vegetable because it isn’t in season right now. But let’s be real most fruits/vegetables are available year round. So if they are available year round and the most important thing is to eat well then, I think it is more important to help you understand what to do with these fun foods. I am a big fan of buying produce primarily during the natural growing season because when you buy them local and in season they taste SO MUCH better. Keep that in mind as you learn about these foods.