Monday, September 19, 2011

Mango-Avocado Salsa

Every year, my mom has an end of summer party at her house.  Potluck.  This year it had a tiki theme, so I was trying to come up with an appropriate food item to take.  Blank.  Completely blank.  I had weeks to think about this people and I couldn't come up with a single thing.  So the morning of the party, I pulled out my recipe binder with my "keeper" recipes in it and started flipping through the pages for ideas.  AHA!  I couldn't remember what I had made this salsa for, but I had written "YUM!!!" across the top of it.  The recipe is originally for crostini, but I had made a note that I'd served it with tortillas chips.  I'm a bread super-fan, but this just says chips to me.

I bulked up the recipe to feed a crowd and ended up with a massive amount of salsa.  As it turned out, my sister and I were scraping the last three chunks out of the bottom of the bowl after everyone had left.  Clearly no one thought it sucked.

Here's the original recipe for making it as crostini with my "feed a crowd" notes:

Avocado-and-Mango Salsa Crostini

1 long, thin baguette
1/4 C olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 large avocado, pitted, peeled and cubed (I used three)
1 C diced mango (I used three)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (I used about 1/2 a bunch)
1/2 small onion, finely chopped (I used one whole small one)
2 Tbsp lime juice (I used the juice from two limes)

Preheat oven to 400.  Cut bread on a slight angle into 1/4-inch-thick slices.  Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Brush one side of each slice with a small amount of oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toast until lightly  browned, 15 to 20 minutes, turning pan around twice during baking time.  Allow to cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine avocado, mango, cilantro, onion, and lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper and mix gently to combine.

Mound 1 Tbsp mango mixture on top of each toast just before serving.

Here's the bowl of salsa at my house:




Here are a few of the other party highlights:

Fruit and cheese platter from my aunt.
Obviously I hovered here.


Veggie platter my mom put together.



A bowl of melon.
She also made some Hawaiin-style chicken in the crockpot, that was SO GOOD and and a coconut cream pie.


My sister made these.  
She cut sheets of puff pastry into squares, baked them, stuffed them with coconut-chocolate pudding and topped them with whipped cream and toasted coconut.
One of these days I'll share the recipe for the pudding.  
And you will send me money and gifts in gratitude.
It's amazing people.



Here's the centerpiece for the food table.



Tiki bar, servin' up Mai Tai's.
Mmmmmmm.


The backyard was soooo pretty. 
But it rained.
All night.
So no one got to enjoy it.  :o(
My pictures don't do it a bit of justice.





And here are the kidlets in all their tropical glory.


Fun party - not a bad way to say goodbye to summer.


5 comments:

  1. What a fun party!!! Your salsa was most likely a huge hit! I tend to always camp out my the chips and salsa and I love the sound of yours!

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  2. What a shame that it rained. The back yard looks so pretty. What is it about lights that makes everything look special. You and your sister are so creative with your food stuff.

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  3. You guys went all out!! I love the tiki theme and the food looks delicious!!

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  4. What a great party idea! Your salsa looks delish!

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  5. Thanks for the nice critique, Min. Next year we'll do it in August! A 100th birthday party for this old house.

    ReplyDelete

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