Mango Salsa / Dressing / Chutney

This is one of those times I just want to go nutso and say ALL THE THINGS at one time!!!  This is such a great recipe that I want everyone to know about it right. now.  Deep breath...

Last weekend I had the opportunity to help teach a paleo cooking class with my friend Adam, a personal trainer and health coach.  He had several clients who were coming in to learn recipes and leave with food for a week of healthy meals.  My role was to provide the kitchen tools and help everyone use them.  (A fun afternoon with great people making awesome food and showing Pampered Chef products?  Sign me up!)  Anyway, we got to this mango dish, and the uses were being explained - eat as a side, put on top of steak, etc. - and all I could think was, This would be great with pita chips!  Now, I may not know much, but I do know that yelling out about pita chips at a paleo cooking class is a pretty good way to never be invited back.  I held my tongue, but I knew these ingredients would end up on my shopping list for the week along with... pita chips.

Get ready for what I think might be the best summer salsa I've ever had in my life!

 

Mango Salsa / Dressing / Chutney

chefjennylyn.com

1 large mango, cubed
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, cubed
1 cucumber, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Juice of one orange if doing chutney

Salsa: Combine all ingredients, mixing to incorporate.  Serve immediately

Dressing: Smash the ingredients, and add more olive oil

Chutney: Heat ingredients to simmer, and add juice of 1 orange.  Shake in a few pepper flakes if desired.

Do the bright colors of the ingredients make you happy?  They do me!  Cilantro is draining in a Stainless Mesh Colander, and olive oil is measured into the Mini Easy Read Measuring Cup.  My produce is on the Large Grooved Cutting Board with the flat side up, and I've got the Bamboo Grinder Set standing by for the sea salt at the end.  Then I have my Manual Food Processor, a Bamboo Specialty Tool, my Avocado Peeler, and my Mango Wedger.  This is going to be fun!

The great thing about the Manual Food Processor is that you can do multiple ingredients at the same time.  Red onion and cilantro: BEFORE.

Red onion and cilantro: AFTER.  Just a few quick pumps, and I'm done chopping herbs and onion.  On recipes where you need a bunch of an herb, this thing just can't be beaten.

I sliced my cucumber into chunks using my favorite knife, the 5" Santoku from the Forged Cutlery Collection, and now I'll finish the job with the Manual Food Processor.

Have I mentioned that I use this tool all the time?

The recipe calls for a large mango, but I don't like mango as a star ingredient.  I opted for the smaller size, but you can see that the Mango Wedger can fit all types.  This really is one of the most amazing tools I've ever seen.  The thing just finds the pit, cuts around it, and reduces waste.  Awesome!

To finish the job, score the mango two ways, and then just cut it right off of the peel.

I use the Avocado Peeler constantly during the summer.  I love avocado on salads, but I also have a thing with fresh guacamole.  By a thing, I mean an addiction.  Anyway, I think this is the best tool ever because it goes through the skin of the fruit without being sharp.  Read: You won't cut yourself.

Score the avocado two ways, making squares, and pop it out of the peel.  Here's a tip for when you only use half at a time.  Save the remaining half with the nut still inside, and cover it with plastic wrap that actually touches the green side.  That prevents air from getting against the meat, which keeps it from turning brown.

The Garlic Press!  You don't have to peel the garlic, people.  Fresh garlic changes everything, so get a garlic press and start taking advantage of the most inexpensive ingredient ever.  Everything here is in a Stainless Mixing Bowl, by the way.

I can't say enough about the Citrus Press, but this was mentioned in an awesome article I read recently on tools chefs can't live without.  This maximizes the juice you get out of citrus without letting seeds into your dish.  When one small lime is $.69, I want all the juice.

This is a great thing to have as a snack, take to a party, or make your kitchen smell fresh and delicious.  Whatever.  Just trust me when I say it's a winner.  Please, please, please make it sooner than later!  Ok, I'm going to stop before I say too much.  Just... please?

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E-mail me: chefjennylyn[at]gmail.com

Call me up: (205) 585-2464

MFP Fresh Tomato Salsa

Make salsa, not war. Confession: I ate an entire batch of this in two sittings spaced about four hours apart. It's addictive, I tell you - addictive! Let's start with this - the Manual Food Processor (MPF). It's a new product that has already changed my life. I got one free when it first came out (yes, I get a lot of free stuff, and you can too), but then I bought myself a second one because I felt the need for two. It's that good. The best part? It includes a recipe card for this salsa. Seriously, this is wonderful, and it's embarrassingly easy. Let's dive in!

MFP Fresh Tomato Salsa

chefjennylyn.com

1 small onion, quartered

1 jalapeño, stemmed, sliced in thirds

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups grape tomatoes

Place onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in Manual Food Processor. Pump until coarsely chopped. Gradually add tomatoes, pumping between, until desired consistency is reached. Yes, it's that easy.

Aren't the ingredients pretty? Tomatoes are in an Easy Read Measuring Cup, and cilantro is in a standard Measuring Cup. I'll be using the 5" Utility Knife from the Forged Cutlery Collection for a bit of slicing, and the Bamboo Grinder will grind the world's best Salt into the recipe. Everything is displayed on the Cutting Board.

The recipe instructs to quarter the onion, but the Veggie Wedger cuts into sixths, which is even better in my book. Seriously, this thing is awesome. Also new, it makes quick work of lemons, limes, tomatoes, onions, or anything else you want wedged evenly. Why didn't we think of this sooner?

The recipe also instructs that you use whole garlic cloves, but here's a secret: They're getting chopped up anyway, so why not save the hassle of peeling and just mince them on in? The Garlic Press is one of my favorite tools because it allows me to use fresh garlic in all my cooking without the annoyance of, "Oh, but now my hands stink." Lemon juice is no problem with the Citrus Press, a heavy-duty tool that forces lemon submission. Just compare the juiced slice to the whole slice. See a difference? Ok, so I'm just throwing all this stuff into the Manual Food Processor, which I'll explain in a minute.

The Manual Food Processor is making waves. I've enjoyed mine, and I've heard great things from others as well. There are three pieces to this: The base/cylinder thing, the blade, and the top/pump mechanism. That's all! You just put ingredients inside and press the pump for quick, easy chopping. There are also measurements on the cylinder, and it includes a non-skid grip around the bottom. Can it get any simpler?

I think this picture should have been horizontal... Oh, well. Anyway, the new Mini Mix 'n Scraper was designed specifically to fit the Manual Food Processor, but I've found it to be handy for tons of things. Besides, it's just so cute!

This is every bit as good as it looks. Now that grape tomatoes are becoming more abundant, I plan to make this a regular on my keep-on-hand list. Warning: If you don't like spicy things, seed the jalapeño. This is quite the spicy salsa when prepared as-written. (Again, this is in a Dots Pasta Bowl from the Simple Additions Collection.)

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E-mail me: chefjennylyn[at]gmail.com

Call me up: (205) 585-2464

Tex-Mex Pork

I made 4 cups of salsa and needed to use it for something, so I started searching through my stack of Cooking Light recipes. I came up with this Tex-Mex Pork because it only required a handful of ingredients, one of which was fresh salsa. Score!

Tex-Mex Pork

www.chefjennylyn.com

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups fresh salsa

2 cups rice, cooked

Optional: sour cream, avocado, and other condiments

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and coat with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Add salsa and water to pan; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve over rice, and top with condiments.
Yield: 4 servings


Pork loin, sausage, and anything else that comes in that hard, plastic packaging: use the Professional Shears. These scissors are perfect for so many things in the kitchen, from cutting meat to opening packages. The 5" Santoku Knife , my favorite, made quick work of slicing pork. Please note: If you saw at meat, there's a problem with your knife. The Large Cutting Board, adds counter space to my kitchen by laying across my sink.

Measuring ingredients ahead of time is the key to quick work. Salsa and water are in Easy Read Measuring Cups, also known as the Best Measuring Cups in the World. The slant makes for easy measuring, and incremental measurements mean you only have to measure once (ex: 1 2/3 cups on the 2-cup measuring cup). My kosher salt is in an Adjustable Measuring Spoon, and I have my Bamboo Grinder Set to the side. The pork is cooking in my favorite piece of cookware, the 10" Skillet from the 7-Piece Executive Cookware Set. I earned this cookware free as a new consultant, and that alone was reason to love my job.

This picture looks kind of gross to me, but it gets the point across. Cook the pork/salsa mixture while your rice cooks, and everything will finish together. My main dish is in the 10" Skillet, and the rice is in the 1 1/2-Qt. Saucepan, both from the 7-Piece Executive Cookware. My favorite spatula is part of the Basic Nylon Tool Set, amazing tools that can be left in pans without melting.

Here's my take on this recipe: Quick and easy. It didn't blow my mind, but I think it would make a good dinner, and it could be amazing inside a quasadilla. At that point, it would no longer be Cooking Light worthy...

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Shop Online 24/7 at pamperedchef.biz/jennylyn

E-mail me: chefjennylyn[at]gmail.com

Call me up: (205) 585-2464