While there are more than a 1000 varieties of mangoes growing all over the world, we in South Florida are lucky as it is one of the “meccas of mangoes due to our year round temperate climate”, according to Wikipedia. Most of the mangoes found in the grocery store today can be traced to a mango tree Captain John Haden planted in Coconut Grove in 1902. Although he died the following year, his widow Florence tended the tree until it fruited in 1910. Most of the mangoes varieties grown in Florida are either direct, or indirect descendants of that first Haden tree.

When I decided to get a mango tree, I took a similar tact to my Dad’s. I attended the Fairchild Tropical Garden Mango Festival and sampled a wide variety of mangoes in the Tasting Room. The Mallika mango, a sweet and creamy dessert mango from India, was my favorite. It’s is actually a hybrid of two mango varieties (Neelum and Dasheri) and was developed in India’s national breeding company in the ’70’s. I didn’t care about that, only that it tasted delicious. There was no turpentine taste or stringy fibers in my Mallika.

I planted it in my backyard and waited patiently until it fruited. It took a couple years. I also watched it anxiously, from my son’s bedroom window, as Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc in our yard in 2017. Luckily, it survived, while leaning quite a bit to one side. We propped it up and it recuperated. Last year, I had an abundance of Mallikas. This year, I’ve only had three. A couple got eaten by squirrels, I picked one too green that never ripened, gave one to my son in Tallahassee, so in the end, I only sampled one Mallika mango! These mangos differ from others like Hadens, as they never develop that beautiful bright orange and red color on the outside when ripe. These pendulous, tear-drop shaped mangoes turn slightly yellow on the outside, but inside are a brilliant, yellow-orange hue.

If you have an excess of mangoes, due to having trees in your yard or getting gifted with mangoes from friends or neighbors, here are some recipes to use up those mangos. The easiest recipe I offer is for mango salsa. It’s great on cooked fish and shrimp, but also works well on roast chicken or pork. It could also be used on seafood, pork or black bean tacos or as a healthy dip with tortilla chips. Blue chips offer a nice contrast to the orange salsa.

Mango Salsa

3 ripe mangoes, diced with juices

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and minced

1 large lime, juiced (1/4 cup)

salt to taste

Combine all ingredients. Add salt to taste. (If you don’t like cilantro or spicy, eliminate those ingredients.)

This recipe is from Serve it Up!, a fundraising cookbook for Autism I helped put together with my friend and fellow tennis player Sharon Williams. Sharon is an excellent cook and tennis player; she is especially known for her baked goods. My sister Kelley made several batches of this mango bread to give to friends and family as a way of reaching out with the Pandemic and everyone loved them. The oil in the recipe makes this loaf very moist.

Mango Bread Makes 2 loaves

2 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 cups ripe mango, diced with liquids

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla

Optional: 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1/2 cup shredded coconut

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix just until combined. Pour into two greased loaf pans, or a bundt cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean.

Mangoes can also be frozen and saved for future use; I often use them in smoothies. They are also an unusual and welcome addition to salads. See my previous post on Houston’s Thai Steak and Noodle Salad to see how I used the one Mallika mango I harvested. I also made a wonderful mango, burrata, hazelnut and arugula salad with balsamic glaze last year from a recipe (Love thy Carrot website by Marla Hetzman) that originally called for grilled peaches. I find mangoes can pretty much be substituted for peaches in most recipes.

Up Next: Key West Food Tour Seafood Lover’s Tour

While I haven’t been to Hillstone’s in ages, (even before the Pandemic, I couldn’t stand the crowds), I do miss this salad. I tried to re-create it at home, but it never tasted exactly right until I found this recipe online at La Dolce Vita, written by Fred Bollaci, known as the Healthy Gourmet. I had leftover steak and a beautiful Mallika mango from my tree (one of only 3 I’ve had this year), so I had most of the makings for this salad.

I didn’t have ramen or lo mein noodles, so subbed angel hair pasta and didn’t have arugula or watercress (although I love both!) so subbed Romaine and spinach. Don’t skip the herbs, however, as they really add another, fresh, dimension to this salad. If you’re not a steak-lover, this salad would also work great with leftover pork or chicken. This is the perfect salad for Miami Foodies this summer. The temperatures have been brutal, so who wants to heat up the kitchen? Even my meat and potatoes husband Zeke, enjoyed this sweet, savory and spicy salad for dinner. I hope you will too.

Houston’s Thai Steak and Noodle Salad

Serves 4

Steak

1 1/2 inch ginger, peeled, finely chopped

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 garlic powder

1/4 olive oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

3/4 pound filet mignon steaks, 1 inch thick

Kosher salt

Dressing

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup hot chili paste (I used sriracha)

1/4 cup peanut oil

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Kosher salt

Salad and Assembly

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 large mango, peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 bunch arugula, leaves torn

1/2 bunch watercress, tough stems removed

2 medium carrots, finely shredded

2 scallions, chopped

2 cups finely shredded savoy cabbage

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 avocado, cut into 1 inch piences

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup torn basil leaves

1/4 cup torn mint leaves

1/4 cup crumbled toasted, unsweetened coconut flakes (I skipped this)

1/4 cup finely chopped, salted, roasted peanuts, plus more for serving

Lime wedges (for serving)

Preparation:

Steak

Whisk ginger, soy sauce, sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Whisking constantly, gradually add olive oil, then sesame oil. Transfer to a small resealable plastic bag and add steaks. Close bag, pressing air out and turn steak to coat. Chill at least 6 hours and up to 12.

Prepare grill for medium heat. Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry. Season lightly with salt. Grill, turning every 2 minutes, until lightly charred all over and the temperature in the thickest part reads 12o, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes before cutting into 1″ pieces.

Dressing

Whisk lime juice, chili paste, peanut oil, fish sauce, sugar, honey and garlic in a small bowl to combine. Taste and season with salt if desired.

Salad and Assembly

Cook noodles in a small pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and run under cold water to stop cooking. Toss with oil in a large bowl. Add mango, arugula, watercress, carrots, scallions, cabbage, tomatoes and dressing and toss to coat. Add steak, avocado, cilantro, basil, mint, coconut flakes and 1/4 cup peanuts. Gently toss to combine. Top with additional peanuts and sere with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Divide salad among plates, piling as high as possible. Top with additional peanuts and serve with lime wedges.

Recipe by Hillstone Restaurant Group

Up Next: Foods to Always Have in the Freezer, Mango Mania.