Let's talk Superfoods.
I know many, myself included, have been fooled into thinking that avocados are the ultimate superfood. And I can see where we have been fooled are coming from. Take look at these nutritional facts - avocados are in essence in the high court of vitamin/nutrient packed "superfood". But I have this belief that they have some close competition for this powerful position.
Avocado, meet Mango.
Let me present my case.
Number One: I believe those yellowish-orangish-redish, sticky sweet treats are pretty compatible with mostly any food course.
You name it - Mango is its mate (and I am giving myself mega alliteration points for that list!).
It even does well cohabitating with it's like species -the Familiar Fruits.
Number Two: Mangoes inspired this poem. Beautiful, eh?
Number Three: Mangoes are sweeter than avocados. Enough said.
Number Four: If you're careful, each precious mango can be delicately mashed up within the skin and sucked up like a juice. You should really try it one day.
Number Five: I believe mangoes also create community. Sure, you can eat avocados within a community but it's only with a mango that you can sit around the breakfast table or out on the back porch and peel, dice & eat mangoes until your belly hurts, your hands turn syrup sticky and there are multiple sucked on & discarded pits lingering out in the middle of the yard (or in the compost pile if you're at our house).
You can see, avocados have stiff competition. But where mangos truly trump that superfood impostor is in the canning department. As far as my knowedge extends, the only way to preserve avocados is to dice/puree & freeze. Really avocados, that's all you can say - "Freeze me."
Mangoes though...
Is there anything you can't do with mangoes?
Maybe pickling, but I'm not even fully convinced of that.
First mango canning experience? Mango Butter.
I've canned apple butter (I should really put that amazing recipe up here someday) but Mango Butter... Wow. After quite a bit of searching I came upon this recipe from Mama's Health & let me tell ya' - Mama didn't disappoint!
Mango Butter
6 1/2 cups of ripe mango, peeled, pitted and chopped
3/4 cup of orange juice
3 tbsp of lemon juice
1/2 cup of water
2 1/2 cups of sugar
1. Heat the mango, water and orange to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 35 minutes.
2. Run the mix through a mill, food processor (which is what I did) or wire sieve. Return the mango mush to the pan and add the lemon juice and sugar.
3. Stir until the sugar dissolves and simmer for another 30 minutes, skimming off any foam that accumulates.
4. Spoon the warm butter into canning jars.
5. Steep the jars in a boiling water baths for 10 minutes to seal the jars.
And there you have it! Mangoes are real superfood in and out of the can.
What's next? Mango Salsa!
P.S. Breakfast this morning as Mango Butter was being processed - Theo 91% Dark Chocolate & Coffee.
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