Mango-Habanero Vinaigrette

We are fortunate to know Eduardo Posada, the chef, and owner, of Posada Restaurant here in Livermore. His refined sense of balance and his passion for the foods of his native Southwest have made Posada Restuarant a destination.

On August 20 this year, Chef Posada helped launch  Lunch and Learning, a new event where noted local chefs prepare a themed menu in a fun and educational setting. For the inaugural class, Chef Posada prepared two vinaigrettes: Mango-Habanero and Basil-Cilantro. Both will appear on our recipe pages, but we thought we would start with the Mango-Habanero because of its versatility with the fruits of summer. In class, Chef Posada used this vinaigrette to enhance the flavors of a cantaloupe salad.

Ingredients

• 1/4 white onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 habanero seeded
• 1 1/2 pounds mango cubed
• 1 C seasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 C water
• 1 1/2 Tbs honey
• 1 C canola oil

Directions

Saute onion until translucent. Add onion and habanero and cook for continue to saute for a few seconds longer. Add mango and continue cooking until mango begins to break down. Deglaze the pan with the rice-wine vinegar and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, add the water and let simmer for a few minutes. Add the honey.

Let the mixture cool down, then add it to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. With motor running, add canola oil and blend until emulsified.