Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [25]
Grilled Mango Salsa
Best with shellfish, fish
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
½ small red onion, sliced ½ inch thick
2 large jalapeño chile peppers, stemmed, seeded, and halved lengthwise
1 large garlic clove, unpeeled
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
1 large ripe mango
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and finely chopped
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 400°F.
Put the onion, jalapeño halves, and garlic in a medium shallow dish. Drizzle with the oil and stir gently to coat all over.
Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Put the mango, onion, jalapeño, and garlic directly over the heat, reserving the oil in the dish. Grill the mango until soft and charred in spots, 10 to 12 minutes total, turning a few times. Remove to a bowl, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
Grill the onion, jalapeño, and garlic until nicely grill-marked, 5 to 6 minutes, turning once. Remove to a cutting board. Peel the garlic, mince, and add to the shallow dish of oil. Finely chop the onion, jalapeño, and the raw tomato. Add to the shallow dish. When the mango is cool enough to handle, peel back the skin, working over the shallow dish to capture any juices and flesh. Discard the skin. Hold the peeled mango over the dish and squeeze between your hands, working the flesh loose with your fingers and letting it drop into the bowl. Chop any large pieces of flesh with a knife. Stir in the lime zest and juice, cilantro, salt, and sugar. Serve warm or refrigerate in a tightly closed container for up to 1 day.
Black Caper Butter
Best with veal, shellfish, fish
MAKES ABOUT ¾ CUP
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons drained capers, chopped if large
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. When the butter foams, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until it turns from yellow to medium brown, but not black, 5 to 7 minutes. Watch carefully to keep the butter from burning. Pour the browned butter into a small heat-proof bowl. Add the shallots to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the wine and lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, pour the browned butter back into the pan, and add the capers and parsley. Serve immediately or keep warm for up to 15 minutes.
VARIATIONS
Parsley-Walnut Sauce: (Best with veal, poultry, seafood.) Before melting the butter, toast ¾ cup walnuts in the skillet over medium heat until fragrant, shaking the pan now and then, 5 minutes. Remove and finely chop. Add 2 minced garlic cloves along with the shallots. Omit the capers and stir in the chopped walnuts along with the parsley. Makes about 1½ cups.
Orange Brown Butter: (Best with shellfish and fish.) Replace the wine and lemon juice with 2 tablespoons orange juice and 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar. Omit the capers. Replace the parsley with mint.
Brown Butter Vinaigrette: (Best with shellfish, fish, vegetables.) Reduce the butter to 4 tablespoons. After browning the butter, remove from the heat and stir in the shallots. Replace the wine and lemon juice with ¼ cup sherry vinegar and whisk the vinegar into the butter along with ½ teaspoon ground mustard. Whisk in ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a slow steady stream until well blended. Whisk in the parsley and omit the capers.
Seafood Butter
Best with shellfish and fish
MAKES ABOUT ⅓ CUP
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
¼ teaspoon coarse salt, preferably smoked