Satisfied Cravings: Favorite recipes from cookbooks I've reviewed.
Mark Militello's Mango Barbecue Sauce
Makes about 3 cups
| 1 medium green bell pepper |
| 1 medium red pepper |
| 2 large fresh, ripe tomatoes |
| 1 large or 2 small ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 2 cups) |
| 2/3 cup finely chopped red onion |
| 1 tablespoon minced garlic |
| 1 scotch bonnet chile, cut in half (for a milder sauce, seed the chile) |
| 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar |
| 2 tablespoons molasses |
| 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard |
| 2 tablespoons Tamarind Water*, frozen tamarind puree, thawed, or fresh lime juice |
| 1 tablespoon soy sauce |
| 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches) |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh marjoram or 3/4 teaspoon dried |
| 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin |
| 1/2 cup water, or more as needed |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste |
| 1 cup wood chips, soaked for one hour in cold water to cover and drained |
| *There's a recipe for Tamarind Water in the book; I haven't included it here. |
| 1. Preheat the grill to high. If using a gas grill, heat the chips in the smoker box until they begin to smoke. |
| 2. When ready to grill, if using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips on the coals. Oil the grill grate and arrange the bell peppers and tomatoes on the hot grate. Grill covered, uncovering to turn with tongs, until charred on all sides, 12 to 20 minutes in all. Transfer to a cutting board and cool. |
| 3. Scrape most of the charred skin off the peppers and tomatoes. Cut the peppers and tomatoes in half, then core, seed, and coarsely chop them. Transfer to a large non-reactive saucepan and add the mango, onion, garlic, chile, vinegar, sugar, molasses, mustard, Tamarind Water, soy sauce, cinnamon stick, thyme, marjoram, cumin, 1/2 cup water, and a little salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook gently, uncoverd, until richly flavored, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed to keep the sauce soupy. Discard the cinnamon stick. |
| 4. Transfer the sauce to a blender and process to a smooth puree. For extra smoothness, press it through a fine-meshed strainer. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and black pepper as necessary. |
| 5. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for several weeks. |
