A Taste of the Tropics

Recipes:
Avocado Citrus Salad With Marinated Onions
Grilled Mango With Spicy Rum Glaze and Vanilla Ice Cream
Island-Style Skewers

-Onions add the perfect combination of flavor and nutrition to any dish.
-Yellow, red and white onions from the U.S. are available year round. Fresh onions are available from March to August. Storage onions, harvested in early fall, are marketed the remainder of the year.
-Chopped or sliced onions can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
-To reduce tears when cutting onions, use a sharp, straight-edge knife. Refrigerating an onion about 30 minutes prior to cutting will also lessen the chemical reaction that causes tears.
-Choose fresh onions with thin, light-colored skins free of spots or blemishes. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location.
-For more recipes and information go to www.onions-usa.org.

Mango Facts
-Mangos are a year-round source of the naturally sweet, refreshing taste of the tropics.
-Mangos contain more than 20 different vitamins and minerals, are a good source of dietary fiber, and are an excellent source of vitamins C and A, both important antioxidant nutrients.
-To determine ripeness, squeeze the mango gently. A ripe mango should give slightly, but not be too soft.
-To ripen firm mangos, store at room temperature. They will continue to ripen and become sweeter and softer over several days.
-Once ripe, store mangos in the refrigerator for up to five days.
-Learn more about this tantalizing tropical treat at www.mango.org.

Marinated Onions: Peel and thinly slice red onion. Combine 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup honey and water in jar with tight lid; shake well until blended. Add onions to jar. Shake to coat onions in liquid, then refrigerate at least 6 hours. If necessary, shake jar occasionally to be sure onions marinate evenly.
Dressing: Combine oil, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey and orange zest in a small jar with a lid.
Salad: Pare and slice oranges; remove seeds. Slice avocado. For each appetizer-salad serving, arrange endive and/or romaine on individual plates. Portion oranges, avocado and grapefruit slices onto the center spokes of the lettuce. Lift marinated onions from liquid with a fork and transfer to the top of each salad. Drizzle with dressing before serving.

Heat butter, pineapple juice, honey, chili powder and cayenne pepper in small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until mixture begins to thicken slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in rum; remove glaze from heat. Set aside to cool completely.
Brush mango slices with some of the glaze and let stand 10 minutes. Spray nonstick ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add mango slices and grill, turning occasionally, over medium-low heat, until browned and nicely marked, 3 to 5 minutes.
Place two mango slices in each of 4 dessert bowls. Top each serving with 1 scoop ice cream, 2 tablespoons toasted coconut, and 1 tablespoon almonds; top with additional mango slices. Drizzle each with remaining glaze. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

For marinade, combine oil, chutney, teriyaki sauce and vinegar. Set aside half to use for basting. Cut chicken into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes. Place chicken and shrimp in wide, shallow glass dish or pan. Pour remaining marinade mixture over, then cover and marinate in refrigerator at least 3 hours or overnight. Soak bamboo skewers in water at least 1 hour before using.
Peel onions and trim off both ends. Cut each onion into six wedges, approximately 1/2 inch wide. Separate the wedges into double layers.
To prepare kabobs, alternate chicken, onions, mango, green pepper and shrimp onto soaked skewers.
Coat grill grate generously with nonstick cooking spray. Place skewers over medium coals for 15 to 20 minutes. Brush often with remaining marinade mixture and turn skewers until cooked through.
Serve with Ginger Mango Dipping Sauce: Combine pulp from 1 mango (about 1 cup) with 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, 3 tablespoons water and 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root in electric blender. Puree until smooth.


All materials courtesy of: National Mango Board / National Onion Association

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