Mangoes, Mangoes and more Mangoes…
I've written about mangoes before but mango season is again upon us and I'm surrounded by the lovely aroma of ripe mangoes.
Anyone who knows anything about me knows I LOVE mangoes with a passion... in any way, shape or form. Fresh and raw just off the tree, in recipes and any other way I can get them. When I read recipes or ideas using peaches or apricots, my mind immediately converts it to use with mangoes instead!
When I was visiting my sister one summer, a friend brought us a big bag of mangoes...
You can't appreciate the size from the photo, but these mangoes were huge and quite fragrant. The first two mangoes that were ready, I peeled and cut up and we ate fresh with some ice cream. As more mangoes ripened, I was peeling them to eat fresh, but the leftovers from the previous batches I cooked so they would not spoil.
To cook them, I just placed them in a saucepan with a bit of sugar (to your own taste). The sugar is mainly to give the cooked mango a slight gloss. These were so sweet I barely had to add any. Cook until the natural juices evaporate but don't let it get too dry.
I added a bit of Canton Ginger Liqueur at the last minute of cooking so the alcohol would not evaporate. The zippy ginger liqueur pairs very well with the cooked mango compote.
For a simple but delicious treat, just spoon some ginger liqueur infused mango compote over French Vanilla ice cream or homemade vanilla ice cream as we did. It is also wonderful served over nice, big, fluffy Belgian waffles or slices of pound cake and topped with freshly made whipped cream.
Another treat to make with an excess of mangoes is popsicles
Mango Yogurt Popsicles
This is one my sister shared with me sometime ago.
2 medium mangoes, seeded and peeled
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 6 ounce cartons vanilla low fat yogurt
Popsicle molds (2-3 ounce size) or 4 ounce paper cups
Wooden craft sticks - some molds come with sticks
Yield: 6 – 12 popsicles, depending on size of mold. Mine yielded 4.
Combine mangoes, water, sugar and lemon juice in a blender; cover and blend until smooth. Add yogurt, cover and blend again until well combined. Transfer mixture to a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Cover and freeze for about 3 hours, stirring two or three times, until all edges are firm, but the center still soft.
Scrape the partially frozen mixture into a chilled mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixed on medium speed until smooth. Pour mixture into molds or paper cups. Cover with lids or foil; if using foil, use a table knife to make a slit in the center of each foil section to insert the wooden stick. Cover and freeze overnight. To serve, remove from mold or peel off paper cups.
Sonia’s note: When I made it, I did not bother to freeze in the dish the first time. I poured it directly into the Popsicle molds and it worked just fine.
Make it a mango kind of summer!
