People often ask us what we like to cook when we are at home, and do we even cook at all after working all week long at the deli.
While the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, pastries, grilled bacon and burgers is usually our weekday soundtrack; on our precious days off from the deli, some of the the scents that fill our kitchen are a lot different. In this case, we bring tropical to the winter plains of Colorado… it’s all about mangoes!
Dragos and I like to serve up a vibrant burst of sunshine and honestly, it’s become a bit of a culinary obsession of ours.
We start with the star of the show: perfectly ripe organic mangoes, their flesh yielding and bursting with juice. Then comes the fun part – the building of flavor profiles!
In a large bowl we toss the 3 diced mango with:
1 cup sliced Mama Lil’s Hungarian sweet red bell pepper* (approx 12 peppers)
1 English cucumber diced
2 Avocados cubed
1 Red onion finely sliced – A sharp bite that cuts through the mango’s sweetness, plus the have more antioxidants than their pale counter parts
1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
2 Tbsp Lime juice
2-3 Tbsp Monini GranFruttato extra virgin olive oil*
Salt and pepper to taste
Dragos loves to pair this with his Elk or Bison tenderloin, but even as a stand alone this salad is a nutritious, delicious favorite that takes us on a mini vacation to the sunny beaches of Costa Rica! LOL!
Optional:
Toasted cashews or peanuts: For a delightful crunch and added richness.
A fiery kick: Sometimes it’s a splash of chili garlic sauce, other times a finely chopped jalapeño. It’s all about finding the perfect level of heat.
The beauty of this salad is its adaptability. We’ve experimented with adding things like shredded carrots, sliced radish, jicama, or even grilled chicken. It’s a blank canvas for creativity, and every variation is delicious. This wintery weekend mango salad isn’t just about the taste; it’s about the feeling. It’s about slowing down, enjoying the simple pleasure of fresh ingredients, and reminding ourselves why we love what we do. The deli is our passion, but this weekend mango salads takes us to a warm happy place.
So, head to your favorite local market, grab some mangoes, and create your own little slice of tropical paradise…in winter.
*Mama Lil’s Hungarian sweet red bell pepper
*Monini GranFruttato extra virgin olive oil
These products can be found at our deli