Roasted Tomatoes, Chipotle and Mango Salsa

Here we go with using mangoes again! I can’t help myself- I have so many of them in the house that I feel the need to use them constantly. The good thing is that they are so versatile. I can use them for sweet and savory dishes.

We were having people over and I wanted to serve chips and salsa before the meal. I normally buy the really spicy one from Trader Joes, but my husband doesn’t enjoy it since he does not eat very spicy food. For me the spicier the better.

I remember when I was younger and first came to the States, we used to go to a Mexican restaurant, Chi Chi’s. They would give a big bowl of salsa with chips- it was spicy and delicious. We were also able to find big, huge bottles of Chi Chi’s salsa in Costco. I remember buying tons of it during college- that used to be my late night snack. Since then, salsa has come a long way- there are so many different kinds out there. I remember when I realized how easy it was to make your own- who knew??

In the summer, salsa and chips is my ‘go to’ appetizer. Since most of the entertaining is done outdoors- it’s perfect to serve with a cold beer while the grilling is going on. In the colder months my usual appetizer is a great looking tray of cheese and olives with some grapes, etc- I think when one is entertaining, simplicity is the key .

In this case, I decided to roast the tomatoes and add some chipotle in adobo sauce. I added just the sauce and not any of the peppers- I was being kind to my husband! Just the sauce gives the dish enough smokiness and heat. I added the mangoes to balance the salsa off- I love the idea of having something sweet, savory, tangy and spicy in the same bite. It was delicious with chips. I am planning to make it again as a sauce for fish or shrimp- I think the flavors would go really well.

We enjoyed the salsa and chips with beer and a white wine while the kids played in the backyard- how great are the summer months!!

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ canned chipotle chile in adobo (seeded) with 1 teaspoon sauce
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 ripe mango
• ¼ cup cilantro chopped

Transfer the tomatoes to a lined cookie sheet. Broil the tomatoes until slightly charred, about 10 minutes. In a blender or food processor puree tomatoes, chipotle, limejuice, and honey till smooth.
Peel mango and finely chop. In a bowl stir together tomato mixture, mango and cilantro. Season with salt. Serve with fish, chicken, steak or chips.