Mango and Orange Mousse with Pomegranate
Extravagantly Light and Creamy
MANGO AND ORANGE MOUSSE WITH POMEGRANATE | Dara O’Brien
By Dara O’Brien
Creative Director, Lake Isle Press
Once I decided to step off the corporate treadmill and find a more flexible working life, I never looked back. I took the gamble that I’d find a freelance career more fulfilling if not necessarily as lucrative as the one I no longer wanted, and that I could survive without a full-time job.
My gamble paid off in job satisfaction, but not in job security. There have been times over the past fifteen years when survival was a little tricky. Work/life flexibility is the upside of a freelance career; economic uncertainty is the downside.
Still, it’s possible to create abundance in your life even with an unpredictable income. Take food, for example. I cut back on restaurant dining and all but eliminated take-out years ago. But I continue to find inventive ways to eat well and entertain richly without breaking the bank.
Serving dishes like this Mango and Orange Mousse is one of the ways I do that. It feels and tastes rich, yet costs little. The recipe is by Vikas Khanna from his book, “Flavors First,” published by Lake Isle Press. I gave it a trial run this week to see if it passed the yum test before making it for guests. The answer was yes.
The recipe recommends using Indian mango puree, which can be found at some Asian specialty shops or purchased online. I was passing by one such store recently and picked up a can (along with some Tellicherry peppercorns for another recipe of Vikas’s that I want to try; two birds, one stone).
I cut the recipe in half and it provided four or five servings, using just one quarter of the pureed mango and less than a quarter of the arils from a fresh pomegranate. I froze the rest for later, so this recipe fits exceptionally well into the budget-friendly-dish-that-doesn’t-seem-like-it category.
It’s also very easy to make. I seldom use gelatin and thought I was being smart by mixing it with water ahead of time. It had hardened by the time I needed to add it. I assumed it would melt into the warm mango/orange mixture, and it did. It was easy to strain the mixture into a bowl placed in an ice bath, and easy to see that it had begun to set. It was lumpy when I first folded in the whipped cream, but after I continued folding for a few minutes, it grew smooth. Once it did, I covered the bowl with plastic and placed it in the fridge overnight.
The next day I had an extravagantly light, creamy, and tangy mousse … for less than the price of a quart of Häagen-Dazs.
MANGO AND ORANGE MOUSSE WITH POMEGRANATE
Click here for printable recipe.
“If you can’t find canned mango purée, you can make your own, but this dish tastes best with the distinctively Indian-flavored mangoes. Papayas are a good substitute for mangoes in this recipe. I usually make this dessert a day in advance and keep it refrigerated.” — Vikas Khanna
INGREDIENTS
1¼ canned mango purée (found at Indian groceries)
1¼ cups orange juice
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon gelatin softened in 2 tablespoons water
3 cups heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds, for garnish
Serves 6
PREPARATION
In a saucepan, heat the mango purée, orange juice, and sugar over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Add the gelatin and stir to melt and combine.
Strain the mango mixture into a bowl and place it over an ice bath. Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula and when it just starts to set, after about 20 minutes, fold in the whipped cream. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Serve chilled, garnished with pomegranate seeds
Recipe from “Flavors First” by Vikas Khanna, published by Lake Isle Press, 2011
MANGO AND ORANGE MOUSSE
WITH POMEGRANATE RECIPE
from “Flavors First” by Vikas Khanna, Lake Isle Press, 2011
OTHER RECIPES FROM THIS BOOK
Bay Leaves and Cumin-Scented Ground Lamb
Brown Basmati with Caramelized Onions and Broccoli
Brown Lentils and Zucchini with Lime
Cabbage and Mushrooms with Turmeric-Infused Butter
Chicken and Ricotta Cheese Curry
Chicken Tikka Masala
Dill and Cardamom Chicken
Lentils with Rice and Vegetables
Himalayan Red Rice Vegetable Pulao
Masoor Daal
Orange-Ginger Chutney
Spring Onion and Pea Soup
Stir-Fried Potatoes with Green Beans and Mint
Sunday Kidney Bean & Tomato Curry
Sweet Eggplant Chutney
Yellow Lentils with Turmeric and Ginger
Flavors First draws from celebrated Indian Chef Vikas Khanna's culinary journey from his native India to his experience as a Michelin-starred chef in New York. With entire chapters devoted to every part of an Indian meal (even breads, chutneys, desserts and beverages) and an ingredient and spice glossary that includes tips on handling and storage, Flavors First is an indispensable resource on Indian home cooking.
“Vikas Khanna's enthusiasm for food is so intense that it practically explodes off the page. I could taste the dishes just by reading the recipes.” —Jean-Georges Vongerichten