Pierogies

Growing up in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania means that you get to eat lots of yummy food that has its roots in Eastern Europe. Pierogies were always one of my absolute favorite things to eat. These pockets of dough are stuffed with a cheesy mashed potato-like mixture then sauteed with some sliced onions and butter...deliciousness!

Ingredients
Filling:
1 1/2 lbs potatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped chives
2 shallots, minced and sauteed
1/4 cup cabbage, chopped and sauteed
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Dough:
3-4 cups flour
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons oil
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup water
1 egg yolk
2 eggs

Instructions
Filling:
Bring large pot of water to boil and cook potatoes for about 15 minutes, until soft and able to be pricked by a fork. Remove potatoes from water and mash. Add heavy cream and sour cream. Mix. Stir in the cheeses, chives, shallots, cabbage, garlic, salt and pepper.

Dough:
Whisk together flour, salt and pepper. Make a well in the middle and add wet ingredients. Stir and work the dough until it is no longer sticky. Refrigerate in plastic wrap for about an hour. Roll out the dough until it is 1/8 inch thick. Cut into individual circles about 3 inches in diameter. Place filling in middle and pinch closed. Once they are all made, boil the pierogis in water for a couple of minutes before pan frying them.

Pan fry the pierogies over medium-high heat with a sliced onion and butter.

Ataulfo Mango Salsa Recipe

I'm participating in something of a mango taste test. First I indulged in Kent mangoes, which are plump, sweet and buttery with lovely tropical notes. This week it's all about the ataulfo. You have probably seen these smallish mangoes with their s-curve and pale orange skin. They have the smallest thinnest pit and virtually no fibrous threads. While their small size makes them perfect for snacking--no half a mango to store in the fridge--the flavor is a bit citrusy I'd say and has a nice bit of acid that makes me think of savory rather than strictly sweet possibilities.

Pairing mango with citrus is one of the tricks I learned from my travels in Mexico where street vendors sell chunks of jicama and mango dipped in lime and and showered in chili powder. To recreate that taste sensation I made a salsa with ataulfo mangoes, a splash of lime juice and pasilla chile powder as well as a crunchy bit of jalapeno and cilantro. The flavor brings me right back to Chapultepec Park in Mexico City!

This super easy salsa is good with chips, but I used it on duck tacos. I marinated a duck breast in balsamic vinegar then scored the skin and seared it in a hot pan and finished if off in a hot oven for 10 minutes. Initially slices of duck were used in a salad, but I had some leftover and thought mango salsa would take the duck in a completely different direction. And it did.

Mango Salsa


Ingredients

2 Ataulfo mangoes
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
Juice of one lime
1 Tablespoon pasilla chile powder
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Slice the mangoes and dice, (how to cut a mango). Combine the mango, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, pasilla chile powder and salt in a small bowl and stir gently to combine. Allow salsa to rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!