Mahi Mahi with Spicy Thai Chili Mango Sauce and a Lesson Well Learned
Making this mahi mahi with spicy Thai chili mango sauce recipe didn't have me dreaming of tropical beaches, or some exotic outdoor market in southeast Asia. No, it reminded me of getting yelled at in the back of some dingy prep kitchen, a very long time ago.
I was given a recipe to make by an old French chef for a tomato pasta sauce. The first step was sweating a finely minced mirepoix in some olive oil. Since it was a fairly large batch, I decided to use the food processor to mince the carrots, celery and onions. Le chef was not le happy.
After teaching me a few new, colorful French phrases, he explained that while a mechanically minced mirepoix may look similar to a hand minced one, they were very different. He told me when you use a food processor, the vegetables are torn into tiny pieces, as opposed to being cleanly cut.
There is way more damage done to the cellular structure, and depending on the ingredient, that can create a noticeably different taste and texture than using a sharp knife and a little elbow grease, or as I believe it's called in France, elbow butter.
Anyway, this mango sauce is an example of how much I took that lesson to heart. For all I know that culinary theory has been debunked by Alton Brown, or some other food wonk a long time ago, but I don't care. I'll always believe my spicy mango sauce tastes better because I cut it by hand. Thanks chef! Enjoy.
UPDATE: I just listened to this video recipe again, and am proposing a new drinking game where every time I say "beautiful," you have to do a shot. ;-)
UPDATE: I just listened to this video recipe again, and am proposing a new drinking game where every time I say "beautiful," you have to do a shot. ;-)
Spicy Thai Chili Mango Sauce Ingredients: (note everything in this is "to taste")
3/4 cup finely minced mango
1/2 small Thai chili, minced very fine
1 teaspoon sambal chili sauce, or other similar chili paste
1 large clove garlic, crushed fine
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
juice from one lime
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Category Article Asian Cuisine, Seafood, Spicy
Popular Posts
-
Is there anything less inspiring than a boneless-skinless chicken breast? There must be, but for the sake of this post, let's say there... -
After weeks of damp and dreary weather, the sun is back in control of San Francisco's blue skies, and that means it's time to grill....
-
There is something comforting about the minute steak. It's probably the fact that the name of the recipe is also the recipe. You take pi... -
"Home" is a neighborhood restaurant I frequent, and they serve the most heavenly slice of cornbread. It's rich and dense, yet ...
-
I can't think of many cold sauces that are as versatile as this fresh peach chutney . Whether it's used to top a ham and cheese snac...
-
When I was a young boy, many summer lunches were spent at my grandparent's table, and that's where I first learned to enjoy fresh ve... -
Photo (c) Average Betty How good is my potato tot recipe? It was just chosen by Sara, from Average Betty , as her favorite in a " Tot-O...
-
I hope this video recipe for Spaghetti Aglio e Olio looks better than it sounds! A fairly minor cold led to a few days of semi-laryngitis, b...
