Mango and Black Bean Salsa

Sometimes the best recipes come together when you least expect it. This is exactly what happened to me on a cloudy Saturday afternoon while visiting my parents. After an unsuccessful trip to the Farmer's Market (the produce wasn't quite ready in the colder climate of Boone), I headed to the local grocery store to get some inspiration for lunch. The mangos caught my eye while perusing the produce section. My mom listed some of the ingredients she had at the house already and the inspiration wheels started churning!

I grabbed the mango and figured out the rest at home. After 30 minutes, we had a yummy sweet and spicy mango salsa that was fantastic!

I put this salsa on top of a salad with avocados and crumbled Black Bean and Quinoa flavored tortilla chips from Trader Joe's! A little drizzle of olive oil, the salad didn't even need dressing!

However, there are a million other ways to serve the salsa:

• With tortilla chips
• On top of grilled or sauteed fish, chicken or pork
• In shrimp or fish tacos
• On nachos
• Over a salad
• On a burger with avocado and cilantro mayo
• The options are endless...

I roast the poblano pepper to cut back on the heat, while still keeping the great pepper flavor.

And I like to soak the red onion in water for 20 minutes to help remove the bite from the onion and dilute the strong flavor. 

Mango Black Bean Salsa 

Yields: 2-3 cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

1 mango, peeled and chopped

1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed well

1 poblano pepper

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 lime, zest and juice

Salt and Pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

If you have a gas stovetop, light the burner on medium and place the poblano directly on the flame. Keep an eye on this, turning once a side is charred. After the entire exterior is charred, remove from the burner and place in a paper or zip loc bag and seal well. Set this aside. (If you don't have a gas stovetop, you can use the broiler in your oven - see directions for roasted peppers here).

While the pepper rests in the bag, chop the onion first and soak this in a bowl of cold water while preparing the remaining ingredients. 

In a large bowl, add the chopped mango, rinsed black beans, cilantro, lime juice and zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

After 15-20 minutes, remove the pepper from the bag and peel off the charred skin. Remove the stem and seeds, chop and add to the bowl. Drain the onions and add to the bowl. Stir well to combine and add more salt and pepper to taste.

This salsa can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. The salsa was even better the next day after the flavors marinated overnight!