Flamboyant trees are in full bloom, kids are out of school for summer, it’s getting hotter outside and mangoes are ripening, ready to be eaten. This can only mean one thing…Mango Melee is right around the corner! The beautiful St. George Botanical Gardens will host the 23rd Annual Mango Melee on Sunday July 7th, offering fun for all ages and plenty of local fruit to indulge in.
In addition to sampling food, there are also educational workshops and activities for your children to partake in. Local craft vendors, live music and a silent auction will also be going on throughout the day. And what’s a Mango Melee without food competition? Chef’s from around the Virgin Islands will compete in “Mango Dis, Mango Dat.” You must create either a salsa, sweet, drink or miscellaneous item that highlights the Mango as its main ingredient.
There’s even an opportunity for you to stuff your face with as many mangoes as you can! The popular children’s and adult’s mango eating contest will definitely be a sight to see. Admission to the melee is $10 a ticket and children under 12 are free!
With mangoes in season and the likelihood that you will purchase a mango or two at the melee, we wanted to make sure you had the perfect recipe in mind to try at home.
A special thank you to the Crucian Contessa for creating this lovely Mango Salsa dish. It will definitely be a refreshing snack on a hot summer day in St. Croix
Contessa Mango Salsa
-1 Firm but ripened Mango
-1/2 red onion
-Drizzle of honey
-1 Lime (zested and Juiced)
-1 Tablespoon of chopped Cilantro
-1 Sweet Seasoning Pepper
-Salt and Pepper to Taste
Directions
Dice the mango into small pieces and set aside in a bowl. The mango should not be so ripened that it is too soft to work with. It should be firm enough to keep its shape in the salsa without softening.
Dice the red onion, and chop the cilantro, add to the mango.
Zest and juice the lime and add to the mix.
Finely chop the seasoning pepper and toss in.
Drizzle a bit of local raw honey over the mixture, about two teaspoons for just a hint of sweetness.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Toss all the ingredients together until it is mixed in well and lightly coated with the lime and honey.
Pair with some uber-crunchy, and super spicy, fried conch fritters for a light afternoon lunch.
For more Mango recipes and other Crucian dishes, check out the Crucian Contessa’s website:
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