Bonnie: To me OXO equals innovation. The company just continues to design kitchen tools that make food prep easier. Take this mango slicer for example…
I first wrote about this helpful tool a couple years ago for Parade’s “What America Eats” November issue. Position the slicer on a mango, and with one simple press, you both slice and pit it. You then cut the fruit from the skin.
Just don’t try it on an overripe one, as it may make a mess!
Add diced mangoes to salads, sliced to sandwiches, or sliced or diced to fruit salad. Or just enjoy the fruit unadorned.
My friend Chris Koury, food editor of Woman’s World, has done extensive work with mangoes, and she suggests sprinkling not-completely-ripe pieces with jalapeño Tabasco sauce or dipping them in lime juice and then sprinkling with salt and chili powder for nibbling.
I suggest making one of these delicious mango salsas to serve atop cornmeal-crusted chicken, grilled tuna, shrimp quesadillas, roast pork, ham steak, or any broiled fish.
Mango salsa Combine 1 peeled, pitted and diced mango; 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped; 2 T lime juice; 3 T chopped fresh cilantro; 1 minced clove garlic; 1/2 small jalapeño pepper, diced. Salt to taste.
Tropical salsa Combine 1/2 c each diced pineapple, mango and papaya, 1/4 c diced red onion, 2 T chopped fresh cilantro, 2 T lime juice, 2 T chopped green bell pepper, 1 t sugar and 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes.
Fruit salsa Combine 2/3 c diced mango, 2/3 c diced papaya, 1/4 c diced red bell pepper, 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro, 2 minced scallions, 1 T lime juice and 1 minced jalapeño pepper.
Black bean mango salsa Combine 1 peeled, pitted and diced mango; 1 c rinsed and drained canned black beans, 1/3 c minced red onion, 1/3 c corn, 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro, 2 T lime juice, 1/2 small minced jalapeño pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.
Fiesta salsa Combine 1 peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped mango; 2 T chopped fresh cilantro, 1 1/2 T rice vinegar, 1 minced shallot, 2 t grated fresh ginger and 1/2 to 1 t hot pepper sauce.
Or enjoy a mango salad:
Mango Salad Combine 3 peeled, pitted and cubed mangoes; 1/2 c diced jicama, 1/2 c diced red bell pepper, 3 T lime juice, 3 T brown sugar and 2 T chopped fresh cilantro. Serve on lettuce; makes 8 servings.
This salad is the one I described in the May 2, 2007 featured Bite on Campbell’s Select Golden Butternut Squash Soup
Crab Salad with Mango Citrus Dressing
In a food processor or blender, purée 1 peeled, pitted and diced ripe mango; about 1/3 c orange juice, 3 T champagne or rice vinegar, 2 T olive oil and freshly ground black pepper to make the citrus dressing. Gently toss the dressing, 1 pound crabmeat, 2 diced avocados, 1 peeled, pitted and diced mango, 1/2 peeled, seeded and diced papaya and 2 (6 to 7-ounce) bags fresh arugula and/or spinach. Serve topped with chopped freshly toasted almonds. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Or for a Quick Mango Sorbet Purée frozen diced mango in a food processor just before you want to serve it. As delicious as the mango you froze.
Bryan: There are many foods that I find are under-utilized in the kitchen; two of the most egregiously overlooked in my opinion are the sweet potato (simply divine mashed, baked or fried) and the mango. Mango is a versatile fruit; fruits in general are not well represented at the dinner table, especially in savory dishes, where they have so much potential. Handling a mango can be a bit tricky for kitchen newcomers and old hands alike.The juicy and stringy flesh can wreak havoc on a cutting surface, leaving a mango purée where a nice dicing was desired. OXO revolutionizes the task by assigning the grunt work to a simple blade suspended within a circular plastic holder; simply position the mango, press down, and you have a perfectly halved and pitted fruit! Mango works best with lighter meats such as pork or seafood, and any of Bonnie’s above salsa recipes will add a new dimension to a grilled tenderloin. Just recently, I was in Mexico and had a divine mango salad with a goat cheese-stuffed pepper. The cheese and mango did just enough to balance the intense heat of the chile, creating a wonderful dish. Experiment at home and you’ll find you can no longer ignore the mango, especially with OXO to the rescue.
Eric: I always love seeing the new kitchen gadgets and tools that have been created over the years — some practical and some just funny, but all rather interesting to try at least once. My brother really stole my words for this product — and I couldn’t agree with him more about the ease with which the Oxo slicer pits a mango. Cutting a mango, as most of us have found at one point or another, can be an experience of peeling, cutting and mushing — I am just glad they have finally created a practical tool that every gourmand’s kitchen drawer should contain.
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I’ve had my eye on this mango splitter for some time and have been waiting for an unbiased professional opinion on it! I will now certainly purchase one with confidence. The recipes and photos look enticing and delicious. Ilene Spector
I love all the OXO products and especially this one. I use it all the time and now buy mangoes more often because it is so easy to cut them.
Another cooking tip: I slice them and put them in my grill pan after I have grilled salmon or lamb. Lightly brown the slices on both sides and serve on top of the meat/fish. Delicious.
I’m going to try one of the salsa recipes for a dinner party this weekend. Let you know how it comes out.
I just tried this at my aunt’s house last night. It’s so easy… I will eat mangoes more often!
I am the fortunate recipient of Soda Club – Edition 1 selzer maker and have found my new favorite kitchen widget! My twenty-something daughter encouraged me to contribute to a greener world by making my own selzer and stop recycling 21 plastic bottles a week. Figuring that I would relish creating less garbage AND not lugging cases of selzer into the basement….I somehow never anticipated that I could control the taste as well. What a bonus!! I am so pleased with the ease of operation and
resulting product. I make three liter bottles every other day and am a lifetime convert. Thank you!! It would receive a perfect score but feel the design is a bit too tall…it does not fit on my countertop and must be stored away and retrieved daily.