Grilled Halibut with Mango Salsa

This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging round up. This blogging event was started by Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen. The round up is hosted by Susan from The Well-Seasoned Cook this week- be sure to pop by to see what other bloggers have come up with.

Paul and I have been trying to eat more fish lately. Generally we try and enjoy one piece of fish a week. This may not seem like much for most folk but for us it is huge! I think I have eaten more fish in the past year than I have in my entire life.

I was searching for something to make for dinner tonight and found this at the cooking light web site.This is a perfect summer dish. The salsa is fantastic as it is, or could be easily modified (add jalapeno for heat, use peaches instead of mangoes, etc). This would be good for having guests over--make the salsa earlier in the day and just grill the fish when guests arrive. I would imagine that this salsa would be great with any firm-fleshed white fish.

Grilled Halibut with Mango Salsa

2 cups plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups diced peeled ripe mango
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil

Prepare grill.

Combine first 7 ingredients. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and garlic.

Rub halibut with oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place fish on grill rack; grill 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with mango salsa.

Yield:4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and 3/4 cup salsa)

CALORIES 295 (24% from fat); FAT 7.8g (sat 1.1g,mono 3.9g,poly 1.7g); PROTEIN 37g; CHOLESTEROL 54mg; CALCIUM 105mg; SODIUM 687mg; FIBER 2.8g; IRON 2.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.5g

Cooking Light, JULY 2003

One of the key ingredients in this dish is the mango. Native to southern Asia, especially eastern India, Burma, and the Andaman Islands, the mango has been cultivated, praised and even revered in its homeland since Ancient times. Buddhist monks are believed to have taken the mango on voyages to Malaya and eastern Asia in the 4th and 5th Centuries B.C. The Persians are said to have carried it to East Africa about the 10th Century A.D. It was commonly grown in the East Indies before the earliest visits of the Portuguese who apparently introduced it to West Africa early in the 16th Century and also into Brazil. After becoming established in Brazil, the mango was carried to the West Indies, being first planted in Barbados about 1742 and later in the Dominican Republic. It reached Jamaica about 1782 and, early in the 19th Century, reached Mexico from the Philippines and the West Indies.

Mango Nutrition Information
Mangos are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium.They're also a good source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin B6,and a very good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

For those who are physically active, whether working out or constantly on the go, mangos are a great way to replenish that lost potassium. An average sized mango can contain up to 40% of your daily fiber requirement. If you are eating your mango-a-day, irregularity is not a problem for you! Research has shown that dietary fiber has a protective effect against degenerative diseases, especially with regards to the heart; may help prevent certain types of cancer, as well as lowering blood cholesterol levels. Beyond being delicious and rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, mangos contain an enzyme with stomach soothing properties similar to papain found in papayas. These comforting enzymes act as a digestive aid and can be held partially responsible for that feeling of contentment we experience during and after our daily mango ritual!

Good-quality Mangoes will yield slightly to gentle pressure when ripe. The coloring will be deep red and/or rich yellow with only a blush of green at the most. (Very green mangoes are used in certain dishes) Medium to large mangoes are generally best. A ripe mango will smell fairly fruity on the stem end as long as it is not

Storing Mangoes
The ideal post harvest storage temperature for mangos is 55º F. When stored properly a mango should have a shelf life of 1 to 2 weeks. We have found that the best way to ripen a mango is at room temperature, on the kitchen counter and if you wish to accelerate the process place in a paper bag overnight.

Comments

[Eden]

Love the looks of that mango salsa and seems easy enough to put together. Yummy looking dish!

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[Kalyn]

It sounds delicious. I love mango salsa, and I've been thinking about making some!

[Jerry]

Thanks Eden and Kalyn. Normally I forgo mangos because it is a challenge to find nice ripe ones here. I sure lucked oout yesterday.

[Susan]

As much as I love mangoes, ripeness and quality are often uneven (at least in my markets). This is a surefire recipe to motivate me to shop carefully.

Thanks, Jerry, for the colorful and lively dish for WHB!

[Jerry]

Susna - another nice thing about this recipe was that it comes together quite quickly.

We served it with citrus quinoa.

[Kim]

Jerry, too funny - last weekend we picked up some Halibut and when trying to figure out how to prepare it were deciding between this recipe and the blackend halibut, also on Cooking Light. Ended up with the blackened because it didn't require an additional trip to the market. Next time though, we'll give this one a try.

Which reminds me, do you collect the annual recipes books? I have an extra 2007 (not the most recent but the previous year), if you're interested, just e-mail me.

[Jerry]

Kim - I shall have to try the other recipe as well. Let's trade! LOL