I love mangos! It might not surprise you that they are one of my top 5 favorite fruits. Grown and harvested all over the world, mangos are a member of the cashew family. Similar to avocado (#2 of my top 5) they come in many varieties, all with their own unique size, flavor and texture profile.

Depending on where you live you will have access to either a few types, or all that there is to offer. Since I’m based in the U.S., I often have access to a delicious bunch – Alphonse, Edward, Kesar, Manila and Palmer varieties.

Fun fact- Jamaicans have roughly 20 colorful names for mangos, such as: beefy mango, cowfoot mango, bellyful mango, Julie mango and sweetie mango, to name a few. My favorite is the Julie mango, with its beautiful red-orange colored skin and juicy flesh.

My Caribbean inspired mango salsa is a simple recipe that is a bit spicy, thanks to the scotch bonnet pepper, and exactly what you need when you have a good piece of grilled or baked fish that needs a fresh companion. Pescatarians should relish this dish and serve it along with grilled fish, steamed shrimp, roasted sea bass or as a snack with tortilla chips.

This recipe recipe is adapted from my forthcoming cookbook, Going Coastal, which is will be on sale mid-July 2021.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 large firm, ripe red mangos, peeled, pitted and chopped into ¼-inch chunks

½ teaspoon sea salt, more as needed 

¼ cup red onion, chopped

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon grated ginger

½ scotch bonnet pepper (optional)

1 large lime, juice and zest

Directions

In a medium-sized glass bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Salsa will keep for 2 or 3 days.