This mango salsa is the perfect compliment to pork as well as mild fish like halibut or tilapia. You can eat it with warm nachos, tortilla chips, or even add it to shrimp fajitas. It is refreshing and sweetens any meal.
To create this mango salsa, I used Michael Salmon’s recipe for Mango Cilantro Salsa as a reference. My kids will not eat anything with heat so I did not use the Habanero Pepper. They prefer sweet to spicy so I used a tablespoon of local honey. Pineapple juice would work well too.
Since lemons and limes enhance the flavor of many fruits, I use the juice and zest from both of them in this recipe. Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C which can neutralize free radicals in the body, reduce inflammation and boost the immune system. “Compounds in lemons–called limonins–are highly bioavailable and are potent anti-carcinogens that may prevent cancerous cells from proliferating, suggests WHFoods.com.”
Limes aid in digestion and help you absorb more nutrients. Limes also have flavanoids that have been shown to stop cell division in many cancer cell lines and can increase the effects of antibiotics. Lime juice can protect you from Cholera.
My Margarita Himalayan Salt has fresh lime zest in it or I would have zested the lime. Most people overlook the zest but it adds a ton of flavor, color, fiber, and health properties. “The rich anti-oxidant values within the skins of lemons and limes, specifically naringenin, not only aid in preventing damage to the DNA, but also repair the DNA, minimizing risks of cancer development, according to Medicinal-Herbs-and-Spices.com.” If you have kidney or gallbladder problems, you may want to avoid the peels due to the amount of oxalates. Definitely buy organic citrus to avoid the petroleum-based waxes added and pesticides used to prevent insects.
Directions
1) Zest the organic lemon into a bowl and add all the juice from the lemon.
2) Dice the red onion and add 2 tablespoons to the bowl. Dice and add 1/4 cup of red bell pepper. Mince the cilantro and add 1 tablespoon. Cut the mango into small chunks and add to the bowl.
3) Add 1 tablespoon of local honey, 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon Margarita Himalayan Pink Salt with zest of lime. If you do not have Margarita Salt, zest the lime before you squeeze it and use 1/2 teaspoon of your best sea salt. Taste and add more salt or honey if needed. Add some minced Habanero pepper if you like spice.
4) Stir to mix the ingredients and let sit for 15 minutes to meld the flavors together. Make this salsa before you start grilling or cooking your meal. Serve. Enjoy!
We brined and grilled two tenderloins, ate one plain the first night and the second night served the pork with this mango salsa. You will not feel like you are having leftovers. Next time, my husband wants to pour the salsa over the leftover grilled meat and let it marinade overnight. Then warm it in the oven to get the fruit to soften and turn into a glaze. Yum! Let me know if you try it first.
Note: This pork is so tender and flavorful as is because we brined it for 6 hours in Thomas Keller’s Chicken brine. I used 10 ounces of oregano salt instead of kosher and did not add parsley. I am sure it would taste fantastic if you follow his recipe.
References:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/231388-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-lemons-limes/
https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=27
