Mango and Tomato Salad

I had some grape tomatoes and mango that had to be eaten, so I did some research. Tomatoes and mango, who knew?! It turns out tomato and mango salad with lime and fish sauce is a traditional Filipino side dish and numerous western chefs have already paired the two fruits in multiple recipes. After researching multiple recipes this is what I came up with. Juicy, sweet-and-tart, savory, and if you add feta, with a touch of creamy-saltiness, this colorful surprisingly satisfying and refreshing side dish for summer grilled dishes or seafood is also the perfect side-dish for Pan Seared Steak with Mushroom Risotto. My beta-tasters were skeptical at first but then came back for seconds! Enjoy!

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh diced mango

• 1 cup grape tomatoes halved

• 1/8 cup, finely chopped red onion

• 1 tablespoon cubanelle pepper (or 1 teaspoon of jalapeño if you want heat)

• 8 basil leaves

• 1+ tablespoon lime juice (to taste)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Preparation:

1. Mix the mango, tomatoes, and cubanelle.

2. Mix the lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper; pour over the salad and mix gently.

3. Adjust the lime juice to your taste.

4. If using feta, add the crumbled feta.

5. Tear or roughly chop the basil leaves and gently fold them into the salad.

6. Serve immediately.

https://food52.com/recipes/12821-simplified-mango-and-tomato-salad

https://www.manilaspoon.com/2020/05/ensaladang-mangga-filipino-mango-salad.html

Corn Tomato and Snow Peas Salad

The Connecticut River Valley has some of the richest soil in the country and a vibrant farm-to-table community with a bounty of seasonal fresh produce. Soon the sweet corn and tomatoes and other fresh produce will be in and we will feast. This is a quick, simple, delicious side dish I made for Grilled Lamb with Mint and Parsley Sauce, but it will work with any meat, chicken, or fish dish.

4 servings
Ingredients:

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half

• a scant 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• ½ cup corn kernels (fresh off the cob are sweeter, but frozen will work)

• ½ cup snow peas cut in 1-inch lengths (or fresh peas from the garden)

• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil (or cilantro)

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 2 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon thinly sliced scallion (white part)

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped Cubanelle pepper (or other mild fruity chile pepper; optional)

• 3 dashes Tabasco or other hot sauce (more if you want spicy heat)

• ¼ teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

  See *Note

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch corn for 2 minutes. Cool, then remove kernels from the cob.

2. Blanch the snow peas for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse immediately in cold water; drain and pat dry.

3. In a small bowl, combine kernels, tomato, snow peas, basil, lemon juice, Tabasco, and salt and pepper to taste, and toss lightly. Set aside for at least a half-hour for the flavors to meld.

*Note: Add a ½ cup of cooked orzo and 2-3 tablespoons of Feta cheese to make a more complete vegetarian meal.

*Note: add ½ a pound of medium size shrimp or lump crab meat to make a light meal.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12784-tomato-steaks-with-crab-corn-relish by John Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger

Avocado-Tomato Salad →

Here’s the Latin American version of the Italian Caprese Salad. Colorful, creamy, crunchy and refreshing, the original recipe came to me almost 20 years ago as a family recipe shared by one of my ESOL students in the “Puerto Rican Cultural Center Cookbook”. As a class project, my students translated their favorite family recipes into English. We collected, edited, and published recipes from Peru, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela in the book. Everyone in the class took home a copy of the printed, bound cookbook, and the non-profit Puerto Rican Cultural Center sold copies of the cookbook as a fundraising tool. The best part was the feast we enjoyed at the end of the project when everyone cooked their recipes for the class. Gracias a mi amigo Jose Puello y Buen Salud!

Ingredients:

• 1 large Hass Avocado, or 2 small

• 2 medium tomatoes

• ½ cup diced red onion

• ¼ cup diced orange cubanelle pepper (optional)

• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro

• ½ cup olive oil or canola oil

• 3 tablespoons white wine or rice wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon lime juice (optional)

• ¼ teaspoon coarse Kosher or Sea Salt (or to taste)

• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

Preparation:

1. Slice the tomatoes into ¼ inch rounds and lay them on a serving platter in a single layer; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit; place each half face down on a cutting surface and cut the avocado into half-inch-thick slices lengthwise.

3. Cut the avocado flesh of each slice at ½ to 1-inch intervals; use a spoon to gently scrape the pieces off the skin into a bowl.

4. Spread the avocado pieces and diced cubanelle over the tomato slices.

5. Mix the olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice and pour over the avocado and tomato slices.

6. Sprinkle on the cilantro and refrigerate for an hour to allow the flavors to meld.