MANGO SEASON SORBET RECIPE PERFECT FOR A HOT SUMMER DAY

Samantha Dellilo

If you have a neighbor with a mango tree, now is the time to start schmoozing them. Wave hi, bring their garbage bin in from the street, and try to get on their good side, because it is mango season, my friends.

I have the perfect, easy and healthy summer dessert here for you. This sorbet recipe has been a staple in my life every mango season since I can remember.

is a Keys native who has a passion for all things food. She runs the local food blog, “Florida Keys Eats.”

You will need:

• A large food processor

• Either two ripe mangoes cut into cubes and frozen or 2-and-¼ cup of frozen mango chunks from the grocery store

• 1 cup of evaporated coconut milk (or regular evaporated milk if you aren’t a fan of coconut)

• Zest of 1 lime

• Juice of half a lime

• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

• 1 pinch of salt

• 2 dashes cinnamon

• honey

Right off the bat every year, I mess up by adding everything into the food processor at once. Don’t be like me. Add your mangos and turn on the food processor. Shake your can of evaporated coconut milk before opening, then slowly pour in your 1 cup of evaporated milk. Gather the lime juice and zest, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt and put those in the food processor as it continues to swirl. I feel stopping here is sweet enough for me, but if you want to make this for kids or just have a sweet tooth, add honey as needed.

Unplug your processor, and scoop out all of this mango sorbet into a pan or Tupperware. Throw it into the freezer for at least four hours. You can make it extra eye pleasing by topping with some mango chunks and a honey drizzle. I love putting chili lime seasoning on it.

A few tips: This will come out lightyears creamier and better if you use full fat coconut milk. I personally just prefer the healthier version so you can indulge guilt-free. Also, know if you use fresh mango the color will be a much brighter orange than the frozen chunks will produce from the store. This is a very limeforward sorbet, if you want less tang use less lime zest and less lime juice. A great way to make the texture that much creamier is to add a banana into the food processor after the milk. The healthy fat in the banana really binds all the ingredients beautifully.

Kick it up a notch and turn this into an adult-only desert by drizzling a little Pilar Blonde rum over the sorbet after serving yourself in a bowl. Have fun, everyone, and may mango season bring you luck from the neighbors.

NEIGHBOR OF THE WEEK

No matter how many individuals appear in the pages of each edition of Keys Weekly, there are always so many more of our community members who deserve to be recognized. In an effort to shine a spotlight on more of the incredible individuals who live and work in these islands, Keys Weekly is proud to spotlight our Neighbor of the Week feature, dedicated to celebrating a community member with each issue.

This week’s neighbor is a Tavernier resident who’s an insurance broker with Healthmarkets Insurance Company. Previously, he worked with United Van Lines as a sales representative for eight years.

What’s one thing people don’t know about you? I bartend a couple days a week at Island Grill.

What can people find you doing when you’re not working? Spending time with my family.

What would you do if you won the lottery? Travel the world.

If you could meet anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be? Michael Jordan.

What is the best and worst part of the Keys? Best part, spending time on the water. Worst part is the traffic.

If you could improve one thing in the Keys, what would it be? Reduce the amount of single-use plastic, to cut down the plastic ocean pollution.

What is your spirit animal? Bengal tiger.

The title of my autobiography would be: “If there’s a Will there’s a Way.”

Your favorite movie: “Forrest Gump.”

Favorite app on your phone? Pandora Radio.