Delishytown

Seared Tuna with Mango Avocado Relish and Frizzled Onions

This was our delicious lunch the other day. Yum!

Slice 1 sweet onion and reserve 1 or 2 tblsp for the mango relish.  Season the rest of the sliced onions with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a cast iron skillet. Cook the onions in the hot oil until caramelized and frizzled. I used coconut oil and sunflower oil to cook the onions in this photo.

Chop the reserved onions into fine dice and toss with chopped mango and avocado. You can use tomato too, but I didn't have any. Season with red chili flakes, salt and pepper and dress with lemon or lime juice and olive oil. 

Discard the oil and wipe the cast iron skillet clean with paper towels. Add a little coconut oil and heat until hot. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper and sear on both sides for about 1-2 minutes per side. You don't want to overcook the tuna, it should still be pink in the middle.

Once the tuna is cooked, serve it with the mango relish, salad greens,  and garnish with the frizzled onions. I also added a little drizzle of sesame oil and organic soy sauce.

Sweet Beet, Mango and Arugula Salad with Garlicky Meyer Lemon Dressing

This is a very simple recipe that lets the flavors of the ingredients shine through. The arugula and nasturtiums in this photo are from our edible back yard. The peppery arugula and nasturtiums compliment the sweet and tangy veggies and fruits.  This salad is delicious and very healthy!

Wash and cook beets. I used golden and red beets and cooked them in a pot of simmering water for about 45 minutes. You could also roast them in the oven. Once they're cooked, let them cool, peel and chop into small squares or any way you like. Chop fresh mango. 

Wash and spin salad greens. Make a dressing with the juice of 1 meyer lemon, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1 smashed open garlic clove (if you let it sit in the dressing, it'll flavor it just enough), salt and pepper,  pinch of dried basil. 

Place the chopped beets and mango on the bed of arugula, dress with the garlicky lemon dressing, garnish with any edible flowers you have. Yummy!

Fancy Schmancy Beet and Mango Salad

Um, yeah I always prepare everything this way. Who doesn't? 

I made this beet salad after being inspired by a photo on Epicurious. I had a bunch of beets from the farmers market, and 1/2 a mango leftover from yesterdays breakfast, so why not try my own version?  

By cutting the beets into small dice, they seemed to have more flavor than beet salads I've made which were simply cut into slices. Could it be that each one of those pretty little cubes is covered on 6 sides by the lemony garlic dressing, allowing more flavor per square inch? huh? I don't know, but, the small size makes them just about melt in your mouth. If you don't feel like chopping all these tiny cubes, beet salad is still good cut into slices. 

Set oven to 400. Place some red & gold beets in an oven proof dish, seasoned with salt and pepper, lightly drizzled with olive oil, & covered with foil. Cook for about an hour, depending on their size, till tender. Let them cool completely or in the fridge overnight.

Peel and chop your beets into small squares about 1/4 inch or so, (red & gold separately, if you're going to do the fancy mold thing). Cut the mango and mix it with the gold beets. Drizzle 1 tblsp of the dressing into each of the beet dishes and toss.

For the dressing, mix together the juice of 1 Meyer Lemon, (or any lemon), 2 tblsp rice vinegar, 1 smashed open garlic clove, salt & pepper, 1 tblsp honey. Whisk in 3 tblsp olive oil slowly to form an emulsion.

On a bed of lettuce, press the red beets, then the gold beets & mangoes, into any mold that is tallish. Mine is a crescent moon cookie cutter, and it's about 1 3/4 inches high.  

Garnish with any pretty green you have. I used a bit of fennel. yum.

"Go fancy or go cry, bitches!" That's a quote from Mrs. Edina Sweary, my neighbor, upon seeing my pretty salad. Then she covered, "I don't mean that personally. It's just a figure of speech."  Whatever, Edina.

Chicken Tacos with Mango Relish

This is a fresh and delicious way to use leftover, cooked chicken. This recipe is low fat and full of fresh veggies. I decided to make this when I saw the package of home made corn tortillas at the store yesterday. Here's what I did to make this:

Chop 1/2 sweet onion and saute in 1 tblsp olive oil on med low heat. Add chopped or shredded leftover cooked chicken and 1 smashed clove of garlic. Season with celery salt and pepper, a small shake of smoked paprika, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a pinch of cumin, and 1/4 tsp chili ancho powder.

De glaze the pan with a small splash of chicken stock or water, (about 1/4 cup), simmer for a minute till the liquid evaporates,  and turn off the heat. 

  Meanwhile wash and spin some romaine lettuce and cut into shreds.

Chop some avocado, appx. 2 tablespoons red or green onion, 1/2 mango, tomato and fresh cilantro. Dress these chopped veggies with a bit of red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne and some tangerine juice. 

Heat 2 corn tortillas in a pan with a bit of canola spray.

Once your tortillas are heated through, assemble your tacos, chicken first, then the lettuce and the veggies. Garnish with a small dollop of plain yogurt.  

I didn't use any cheese but you can if you like. 

Yum!