Mango Gazpacho

Picture yourself in a place with a contrast of landscapes: mountains rising in the background, with cliffs that give way to valleys. As one proceeds into the valleys, they would find olive trees and almond trees, along with orange and lemon groves. The greenery is broken up by small towns that still retain their moorish character, with squares and fountains. If you can picture this scenery in your mind, you have taken yourself to the region of Andalusia, Spain, known as La Axarquia.

Apart from the beautiful surroundings, the region is also particularly known for one agricultural commodity (above and beyond the almonds, olives, lemons and oranges) ... the European mango. That landscape provides the basis for La Axarquia to fashion itself as "the home" of that fruit. Of course, it takes more than a few mountains, valleys and greenery to grow mangos. La Axarquia has a subtropical climate that provides more than 300 days of sunlight per year, with temperatures that range often from the mid 70s to the mid 80s Fahrenheit in the summer. 

There are five different mango varieties that are cultivated in La Axarquia. The most common one is known as the Osteen. It makes up more than half of the production. (Interesting side note: the Osteen mango originated in Merritt, Island Florida, named after the Osteen family who lived there and first cultivated this particular type of mango back in 1935. It made its way to Spain thereafter.) The remaining four mango varieties - the Kent, Tommy Atkins, Keitt, and Red Palme -- constitute the remainder of the mangos cultivated in the region. (Another side note: the Tommy Atkins is probably the most popular mango in the United States.)

It seemed to be only a matter of time until the mango of La Axarquia would be incorporated into a dish of Andalucia, namely, gazpacho. This particular version of gazpacho relies more on citrus, namely orange juice and lime juice, than a traditional gazpacho. It is just my speculation, but it may be an effort to balance the sweetness of the mango. The recipe does include more traditional ingredients, such as bell pepper, cucumber, onions, and garlic. These ingredients, when pureed, help to give the soup some texture and depth. 

The end result is a very different and very delicious take on gazpacho. I am sure that the mangos I were probably of the Tommy Atkins variety, as opposed to the Osteen mango. The former varietal tends to be more tart with sweet notes, while the latter seems to be the inverse, more sweet with touches of acidity or tartness. Now that I have prepared this dish, as well as learned about the different mangos out there, I will have to be more mindful when I am in the store.  If I ever come across Osteen mangos, then I could truly transport myself culinarily to La Axarquia.

MANGO GAZPACHO

Recipe from Sprig and Vine

Serves 6

Ingredients (for the gazpacho):

• 2 cups diced mangoes
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic
• 3-4 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 jalapeno
• 3 tablespoons chopped coriander (cilantro)
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Ingredients (for the toppings):

• 1 cup of finely diced mango, cucumber, bell pepper
• 1 cup micro greens (optional)

Directions:

1. Blend the gazpacho ingredients. Blend the mangoes and orange juice in a blender until smooth and pureed. Add the cucumber, bell pepper, onion, garlic, lime juice, olive oil and jalapeno, along with a cup of iced water and blend again. Add more water if you want a thinner consistency, or leave it as is for a thicker gazpacho.

2. Season the gazpacho. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust according to preference: add more lime juice for zing, chile for heat, etc. Stir in coriander (cilantro).

3. Chill the gazpacho. Let the gazpacho chill in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours before serving. This allows the flavors to mingle. 

4. Finish the dish. To serve, divide into bowls. Top with the mix of mangoes, cucumber and and bell pepper. Garnish with microgreens, if using. 

PEACE.