Fabulous Foodies

As a queenslander born and bred, I have grown up with the gorgeous flavours of tropical queensland summer fruit…. and when the summer rolls in I crave the flavours that trigger all those great childhood memories….. sitting on the beach, mango juice running down our arms…. mmmmm…. picking up lychees by the roadside, putting them on ice in the esky (right next to the beers) and then sitting down to a feast on a hot summers day… prawns, beer and icy lychees…. perfect!

So, I thought I would share some of my favourite recipes for the Summer Holiday Season…. using my all time favourite tropical summer ingredients… Mango, Lychee and Passionfruit…. mmmmmmm

Mango and Lychee Salad with Passionfruit Syrup

This is a recipe I found in a Delicious Magazine a few years ago now.  I believe it is a Bill Granger recipe from memory, but I have adopted it as one of my personal favourites….

Ingredients

Salad

40 Lychees – peeled, seeds removed
4 Mangoes – cheeks scored
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves – washed and torn

Passionfruit Syrup

1/2 cup Passionfruit Pulp – about 5 passionfruits
2 Oranges – juiced and strained
1 Lemon – juiced and strained
3/4 cup castor sugar

Method

• For the syrup, pulse the passionfruit pulp briefly in a food processor to loosen the seeds.  You don’t want to cut the seeds up, so make sure it is a brief pulse or use plastic blades if you have them
• Transfer to a saucepan with remaining ingredients and stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves
• Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occassionally for 10 mins or until syrupy.  Cool completely
• Place Mango and Lychees on a platter. Scatter with mint and drizzle with Passionfruit Syrup.  Serve Immediately

Prawn, Mango and Lychee Summer Salad

I found this one on a website somewhere long ago and wrote it into my favourite recipes book.  So don’t ask me where I got it from, I really couldn’t tell you!

Ingredients

20 Prawns – medium to large in size, cooked, peeled and deveined
1/2 cos lettuce – washed and broken into bite size pieces
1/2kg Lychees – peeled, seeds removed
1 lg Mango – peeled and cubbed
2 tblspns Pecans – chopped
1/2 sm Spanish Onion – peeled and finely sliced
1/2 Red Capsicum – peeled and finely sliced into strips
1/2 Lebanese Cucumber – washed and finely sliced

Yoghurt Dressing

200 gms Yoghurt
1 tblspn Lime Juice
2 tspns Dijon Mustard
1 tspn Sweet Chilli Sauce
Sprinkle of Pepper

Method

• Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well-combined.  Chill
• Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and fold together
• Drizzle with Yoghurt Dressing

Mango Salsa

This salsa is divine served with seafood or bbq’d chicken.  It is absolutely delicious and I often have it just with some toasted lebanese bread with a glass of wine…. mmmmmm.  It is one of our Chefs Toolbox recipes

Ingredients

2 Mangoes – peeled and chopped
2 green onions – chopped
2 tblspns Lemon Juice
1 tbspn Palm Sugar
1 Birds Eye Chilli – seeded and chopped
1 tbspn fresh Ginger – grated
2 tbspns fresh Coriander – washed and chopped
2 tbspns Fish Sauce
2 Ripe Tomotoes – deseeded and finely chopped
2 tbspns Olive Oil

Method

• Combine all ingredients and place in a serving bowl
• Serve with seafood, barbequed chicken or as a side dish to any fresh summer meal

Mango Pavlova Roll

This is another of my favourite Chefs Toolbox Recipes and gets a real WOW when you serve it up as an alternative to the traditional Pavlova.

Ingredients

4 Egg Whites
150 gms castor sugar
1 tspn corn flour
1 tspn white vinegar
300 ml cream
1 lg or 2 med ripe Mangoes – peeled and chopped

Method

• Preheat oven to 180°c
• Beat egg whites in a clean bowl with electric beaters until soft peaks form
• Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition, until sugar has dissolved
• Fold in cornflour and vinegar
• Place Baking Sheet or BBQ Sheet on a baking tray and spread meringue over sheet to form a rectangle
• Place in oven to cook for 12 mins
• Place second Baking Sheet or BBQ Sheet and baking tray over cooked meringue and invert.  Peel away the top baking tray and sheet
• Beat cream in a bowl with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Spread over the meringue and top with Mango
• Roll the meringue firmly from the long side, using the Baking Sheet or BBQ Sheet to guide roll into shape
• Refrigerate for 15 – 30 mins before serving

I would love to have your comments on any of the above recipes.  Please feel free to contact me at fabulousfoodies@cookingisfun.com.au if you have any questions or suggestions in regard to the recipes or products mentioned.

And most of all….. ENJOY THE FABULOUS SEASONAL PRODUCE AVAILABLE FOR SUMMER!!!!