Mango Two Ways [and a giveaway with Whole Foods!]
Happy Monday! Tiffany and I are so excited about today’s post! We’ve teamed up with Whole Foods to bring you two delicious mango recipes – one savory, one sweet.
Mango has quickly become one of my favorite warm weather ingredients. It’s incredibly versatile and works well in everything from smoothies to cocktails to the recipes we’re sharing today. Nothing says summer like the flavor of mango – and Mango Shrimp Skewers and Mango, Rosemary Ginger Shortbread Cookies are the perfect way to kick off the season.
Oh yeah – and did we mention Whole Foods is giving away a $75 gift card to one lucky offbeat inspired reader? Check out the rest of the post for more info on how to enter!
Savory: Sarah’s Mango Shrimp Skewers with Cilantro-Lime Toasts
When Tiffany and I first started talking about this post, my mind immediately started thinking about savory recipes. With summer right around the corner, marinated shrimp grilled alongside sweet mango seemed like the perfect pair. Of course, everything is better with butter so I whipped up cilantro-lime butter for grilled toasts (and a little extra for serving with the shrimp).
Mango Shrimp Skewers
Yields 4 servings
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon honey
¼ cup olive oil
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
3 ripe mangoes (I love the Ataulfo mango)
Wood or stainless steel grilling skewers (if using wood, soak them in water for 30 minutes before grilling)
Add the cilantro, lime juice, shallot, honey and olive oil to a small mixing bowl or zip-lock bag. Mix the ingredients well and then add shrimp. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or seal the zip-lock bag). Refrigerate for 1-4 hours.
Cut the mangoes into bit sized pieces. Be carefully not to cut the pieces too small, otherwise they’ll fall off the skewers while grilling. After the shrimp have marinated for a few hours, preheat the grill or a grill pan to high heat. Thread the shrimp and mango onto the skewers. Grill for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer to platter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grilled toasts and extra cilantro-lime butter (see recipe below). Enjoy!
Cilantro-Lime Toasts
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño (seeds removed for less heat)
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Bread (use whatever type you prefer)
Add all ingredients, except the bread, to a food processor. Mix until smooth.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat. Butter both sides of the bread. Grill each side of the bread for about 1-2 minutes, or until they become crisp and slightly browned. Serve with Mango Shrimp Skewers and remaining cilantro-lime butter.
Sweet: Tiffany’s Mango, Rosemary Ginger Shortbread Cookies
Coming up with a “sweet” mango recipe was a lot of fun. Mangoes themselves are sugary with a delicious tang and a unique texture that can enhance a dish in so many ways. I paired freshly dried mango with warm ginger and piney rosemary to dress up a classic, buttery shortbread cookie. The result was an absolute success. Everyone I shared these cookies with loved them. The flavors went perfectly together! Whip up a batch of these for a spring or summer picnic and serve them with mango iced tea!
Mango, Rosemary Ginger Shortbread Cookies
Yields about 4 dozen cookies
1 mango, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp dried rosemary (or 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped)
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
For Sprinkling:
2 tbsp dried rosemary (or 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped)
2 tbsp candied or crystallized ginger, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F
Spread mango slices on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 200 degrees F for 30 minutes. Flip the slices over and bake 30 minutes more on the other side until the pieces are mostly dry. Once cooled, coarsely chop the slices.
Turn the oven off and combine flour, salt, ground ginger and rosemary in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until smooth, light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating thoroughly between each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat until fully incorporated. You shouldn’t see any flour at this point.
With a wooden spoon, stir the chopped mango into the cookie dough until evenly distributed.
Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface and scoop the cookie dough into the middle of it. I like to scoop in a log shape so it’s easier to form a tube. Gently form a long log with the dough, about 2 1/2 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches high. Roll the dough log into the parchment paper and twist off the ends to seal. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. You can also freeze the log at this stage if you plan on baking the cookies much later.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
After the cookies have chilled, unwrap the log and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (or a little thicker). Place slices on a lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with the candied/crystallized ginger and rosemary that you set aside earlier. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Move to a cooling rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Now for the giveaway!
Whole Foods is giving away one $75 gift card! The giveaway will run for one week and the winner will receive a virtual gift card that can be printed or displayed on a smart phone. Gift cards can be redeemed at any Whole Foods Market location in the U.S. or Canada. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below!
