Tuna and Mango Chutney

This past Tuesday evening, I dined with some friends originally from Argentina. They are both from Buenos Aires (right across the shore from where I grew up in Montevideo, Uruguay on the River Plate). The conversation turned to past and present Latin American politics, yiddish culture and religious life. Not only was the conversation great, so were the food and wine…

We started the meal with a superb fish appetizer covered with a nice spicy and sweet chutney… She graciously emailed me the recipe and a photo this morning:

Photo by: Mrs. Lea Bronshtain

Tuna with Mango Chutney

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rum
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 lb tuna steak
• 1/2 cup crushed corn flakes
• 1 small dried chilli pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 3 tablespoons olive oil.

Mango Chutney

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 6 cups mangoes (4 to 5), peeled and cut in 3/4-inch pieces
  
• 1 medium red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cupginger, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, whole
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (hot)

(Mrs. Bronshtain makes the chutney once a year and uses it as needed. Bottled in a disinfected jar it can keep on aging for a long, long time.)

• 1/2 yellow pepper, diced
• 1 plum tomato diced
• chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. In a bowl mix soy sauce, rum and orange juice. Marinate tuna in mixture in refrigerator for 3 hours while covered.
2. In a second bowl mix corn flakes, chilli pepper, chilli powder, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper and cilantro.
3. Remove tuna from marinade. Pat cereal mixture tightly on fish to coat on all sides.
4. In a pan, sear fish in hot oil for 2 minutes on each side.
5. Mix the chutney with the yellow pepper and plum tomato, top fish with this mixture. Garnish with cilantro.

Directions for Mango Chutney

1. Combine sugar and vinegar in a 6 quart pot; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, until syrupy and slightly thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir occasionally during cooking.
3. Pour into clean, hot jars leaving 1/2-inch space to the top; close jars. Process in a water bath for 15 minutes.

Yields 6 (1/2 pint) jars.

We followed this appetizer with a butternut squash soup, braised short ribs, and a Café Brulé. During the meal we had a well decanted Flecha de Los Andes Gran Malbec 2006 from Argentina (of course!). It is a deep colored wine, with black plum, pepper and licorice, floral notes and a barely perceptible chocolate hint; on the palate it’s well balanced, rich with plum, espresso, pepper and licorice, and leaves you with a long finish. A truly memorable meal!

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Ceres Juices

I like juices, almost all juices. Ceres produces some of the best I ever tasted, I recently picked up their 1 liter cartons of Youngberry, Apricot, Mango, Papaya and Litchi. I was amazed at how close to the fruits’ real flavor they tasted. Turns out they are all 100% fruit juice, they have 0% of either saturated or trans fats. and they are very rich in vitamin C providing 100% of the recommended daily adult requirement per serving. I usually get their Fruit Medley (I didn’t this time) in addition to the Vitamin C, it also supplies 100% of Vitamin A’s recommended daily requirement. Each carton gives 4 8ozs servings, Ceres Fruit Juices use Tetra Brik aseptic cartons; these sealed cartons give the juices a shelf life of 12 months, once opened they must be refrigerated and they taste best if consumed within 5 days of opening.

Ceres Juices: Apricot, Litchi, Mango, Papaya, Youngberry

The Youngberry was first produced in 1905 and released in 1926 in the US. Not much is grown of it on these shores anymore but is cultivated intensively in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. I found it very refreshing.

The Apricot is a fruit that has been known since mankind’s earliest days. Records show that as early as the year 502 of the Current Era apricots were already used in the treatment of tumors, in 17th century England apricot juice was used in the treatment of tumors and ulcers. There are records that as early as the year 502 of the Current Era apricots were already used in the treatment of tumors, in 17th century England apricot juice was used in the treatment of tumors and ulcers. In John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi it is discussed as an inducer of childbirth. When I was a volunteer at Kibbutz Lavi during the Six Day War, in 1967, we spent a lot of time working in the apricot fields and it became one of my favorite summer fruits.

The Mango has been growing in India for thousands of years and from there it spread to other frost-free countries. In some cases the tree can still grow fruits even after 300 years. The fruit is naturally very sweet, its juice is a bit thicker than most, but when served chilled it’s very refreshing.

The Papaya originated in Southern Mexico though it’s now cultivated in tropical countries in every continent. Green Papaya is used a lot in Thai cuisine. Papaya is marketed in tablet form as a cure for digestive problems. Ceres definitely tastes great and together with their Litchi these two are about to become favorite juices.

The Litchi – sometimes spelled lychee – fruit contains, on average, a total 72 mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams of fruit. About nine litchi fruits would meet an adult’s daily recommend Vitamin C requirement. But above all I find this a delicious fruit… and I’m in good company. During the Tang Dynasty it was the favorite fruit of Emperor Li Longji (Xuanzong). The emperor had the fruit, which was only grown in southern China, delivered by the imperial messenger service’s fast horses, whose riders would take shifts day and night in a Pony Express-like manner, to the capital. I found the juice very refreshing and mildly but pleasantly aromatic.

They are made in South Africa, certified with a Star K and are kosher for Passover as they bear a P, they also carry the kashrus certification of the Capetown Beth Din. All five of these flavors proved superb!

CS