What's Cooking Video Recipe
February 2002: Garlicky Shrimp with Mango Salsa

For the Salsa:

• 2-3 ripe mangoes
  
• 1/2 red onion, diced
  
• 1/2 jalapeno, diced
  
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  
• cilantro, chopped, stems removed
  
• squeeze of 1 lime
  
• salt
  

For the shrimp:

• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• olive oil
  
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and cleaned
  
• squeeze of 1 lime
  
• rum (optional)
  

Garnishes/add-ons

• 1 can black beans, drained (or cooked) to mix in with salsa your favorite rice

Instructions:

1. Prepare yourself for mango slicing! Set your mango on your cutting surface, stem end up. There are two narrow "cheeks" and two wider walls of flesh surrounding the very flesh-clingy pit. Begin slicing at the top of any of the four sides of the fruit and slice as close to the pit as you can, down to your cutting surface. Skin remains attached to the fruit.

2. With four slices of flesh on your surface, score the flesh with the tip of your knife in tic-tac-toe fashion, without cutting through the skin. (Some people call this the hedgehog.) Press skin so cut side pops towards you, as if to turn "inside-out," making it easy to scoop with a spoon.

   If this is too messy, try Plan B: With a spoon, outline the perimeter of your flesh, making sure to keep it in one piece and to move flesh away from spoon. Then dice in tic-tac-toe fashion, approximatey in ¼ inch squares.

3. Set your diced mango in a bowl. To that, add the rest of your salsa ingredients and toss lightly to combine. Note on the jalapeno: As with any fresh chile, take extra care of the seeds and white membranes that live inside. These are the sources of heat! Scoop that stuff away with a spoon into the sink and be sure not to rub your eyes, touch your skin, face, etc. Some folks are more sensitive than others, and if you are, be sure to wear rubber gloves and to rinse your knives and cutting surfaces thoroughly.

   I added approximate amounts for the salsa, but really, this is your baby. If you like more heat, add more chile or something even zestier than a jalapeno. If you like less red onion, do as you wish. One nice touch of acid, in addition to the lime squeeze, is a splash of rice wine vinegar.

4. Taste salsa for seasonings and make sure you're happy. Set aside and let flavors marry.

5. The shrimp needs to be cleaned and peeled. You can do this in advance, by the way. No matter when you do it, be sure to keep it (and any shellfish) on ice, at all times. Cleaning (or deveining) can be done with a paring knife. Make a light incision into the spine of the shrimp, where most of the time you'll find black, brown or gray string-like vein. With your knife, extract and discard. All shrimp, after cleaning, can be rinsed.

6. You'll need a saute pan, at least 9 inches, for this job. Have ready some chopped cilantro, to taste, another lime for squeezing and your garlic, chopped.

7. Add some olive oil to cover the bottom of your hot pan. Salt your shrimp just before adding to the pan. Add your garlic with shrimp, to minimize burning of garlic. With tongs, turn the shrimp, which will cook in 1-2 minutes. You will see a change of shade, from white/gray and translucent to more pinky and opaque. After you turn the shrimp, squeeze your lime and if using, add a splash of your favorite rum. Let cook for at least 1 minute. Turn off heat.

8. Serve salsa with shrimp, and rice and/or black beans.
   Serves 4.