Fresh Mango and Coconut Cobbler – Desiree Brassert
An easy fruity dessert is always a good idea in times of abundance. Today we are using our luscious and exotic mangoes, but any fruit that combines sweetness with acidity such as berries, apples, pineapples or any combination thereof works beautifully.
For a 9 X 9 inch pan
5 ripe but firm mangoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter or coconut oil
1/4 cup agave nectar, sugar or sweetner of choice
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of shredded coconut
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 stick of chilled unsalted butter cut into small cold cubes
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a shallow pan melt 1 tablespoon of butter or coconut oil and stew the mangoes with sweetener and the pinch of salt until soft for about 5 minutes.
Add the vanilla and cinnamon, mix well before pouring into the bottom of baking pan. Combine the crumble ingredients with most of the butter saving a few cubes for the top. The mixture should feel like coarse beach sand.
Spread evenly over mangoes and top with remaining butter cubes.
Bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Cobblers are often served with ice cream, sorbet, or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
Greek salad is one of the classics of the salad genre. The combination of fresh ingredients is perfect for the palate.
I provided a basic recipe for Greek salad in an earlier column; but I’m revisiting the subject in this month’s column because I’ve been experimenting with various ways of slightly altering the basic recipe using other ingredients frequently used in Greek cuisine. Greek salad proves to be amazingly adaptable and versatile, and just as delicious as ever.
I won’t be prescribing ingredient proportions or directions for assembling the salad in this column. You can decide for yourself what sizes or shapes to cut the veggies and feta cheese in your choice of proportions, and how to display the finished product. Cooking is more fun when you can be creative!
Like many people, I gradually outgrew my liking for ketchup as the condiment of choice for hamburgers. Over the the years I tried various commercial products without much satisfaction until I discovered Willie’s Chili Style Sauce, or Willie’s Chili for short. Willie’s Chili was a product of the Strub’s pickle factory in Brantford, Ontario, until the small Canadian company folded a couple of years ago. For me anyway, Willie’s Chili was the perfect condiment not only for hamburgers, but also as a replacement for ketchup in other sandwiches.
I’ve been trying to replicate the taste of Willie’s Chili since we moved to Costa Rica, where it’s not available. The following recipe represents the closest approximation I’ve been able to come up with so far. Besides tasting pretty darn good, it has the advantage of being fairly simple to make.
It’s green mango season! The mango tree in our back yard is heavy with new fruit right now. Looks like a bumper crop this year.
Not everyone is aware that green, unripe mangos are not only edible but preferred by many in the tropical countries where mangos are cultivated. In India they are cooked into chutneys. In southeast Asia they are sliced and pickled, or simply eaten as snacks after dipping them in fish sauce or soy sauce. Here in Latin America, a wide variety of salsas and salads use green mangos as a main ingredient. In season, green mangos can be found at farmers’ markets and greengroceries. Sometimes you may spot a street vendor selling small plastic bags of green mango slices, which people live to snack on in the heat of the day.
Quepos is justly renowned for the quality and variety of saltwater fish and other seafoods available, whether you acquire it by going on a sportfishing cruise or simply by shopping at one of the local fish markets. But did you know that freshwater fish farming has become a growth industry in Costa Rica? There are over 1,200 producers cultivating tilapia or trout (trucha) at their fish farms in the mountains, and claiming a gradually increasing share of the market for fish. Read More…
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Camote (our local sweet potato) is the world’s healthiest food according to the USDA’s North Atlantic Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
It’s an energy food because of high carbohydrate contents. It can replace rice in diet.
It’s good for diabetics. It helps stabilize blood sugar levels by increasing adiponectin, an important factor of insulin metabolism. It has moderate glycemic index of 50.
It’s high in dietary fiber and has a low fat content. Good for the heart and tummy. Fibers help reduce bad cholesterol and ease bowel movement.
Yellow camote contains lutein and beta carotene. Antioxidants to prevent rapid aging and maintain good eyesight. Eat yellow camote instead of taking eye supplement.
It contains lots of essential minerals and vitamins. Manganese, copper, potassium, iron, Vitamin – E, C, B6, B2, and A. It’s like a combination of rice and vegetables in a single package.
It’s an effective detoxifying agent. It adsorbs heavy metals and removes them from your body.
Plus they taste great & are very versatile. In our house we especially like them with pork & corn. Here are my 3 favorite ways to prepare camote (all low or no-fat). But you can also use them in deserts, such as cakes, pastries, puddings & cookies.
Fresh Mango and Coconut Cobbler – Desiree Brassert
