This is the third and final recipe I was hired to develop for The Naked Grape wines. Here were the first and second.
When I first took a sip of The Naked Grape Summer White Blend, I knew I needed a festive recipe to pair with it. These pork tacos are fresh and flavorful, summery and fruity. And that’s exactly how I’d describe the Summer White.
A tasting brought out notes of sweet juicy melons and pineapples – and coincidentally mango! With time the sweetness faded to citrus fruit with a floral finish.
We chose pork butt for these tacos for its richness and texture – a mouthful of flavor to balance out the vibrant salsa on top: finely diced mango joins spicy jalapeno and red pepper all balanced with the Summer White and a touch of fresh cilantro. The heat the peppers turn up is mellowed by the cool, sweet wine. Served in whole wheat tortillas, we kept the taco toppings light: avocado, Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and mixed greens.
Prepare the salsa first so it has time for the flavors to develop – ideally several hours or more before it’s time to serve.
To quickly dice a mango, remove the “cheeks” and cut in a criss-cross pattern with your knife. Flip the mango inside out and use your knife to gently slice off the cubes.
A work of art, yes!?
Finely mince both the jalapeno (without seeds – unless you dare!) and red pepper.
And chop up your cilantro.
To bind the salsa, combine one ounce of Summer White with the juice of half a lime and 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix everything together in a little bowl.
To cook the pork, begin by thinly slicing a pound of pork butt into bite-sized strips – or better yet ask your butcher to do it for you.
Season with salt.
Heat a skillet with your sunflower oil over medium-high heat and sear the meat until brown and cooked through. You may need to do this in two batches so you don’t crowd the meat if you have a smaller skillet.
Thinly slice an avocado…
Place some cooked pork into a warmed tortilla and top with salsa, avocado, Greek yogurt and mixed greens.
Pork Tacos with Summer White Mango Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork butt seasoned with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 avocado
- 4 whole wheat or flour tortillas
- Mixed greens
- For the salsa
- 1 mango
- 1/2 jalapeno
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 ounce sweet white wine
- Half a lime
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Dice mango, jalapeno (without seeds – unless you dare!) and red pepper. Stir in cilantro.
- Combine with Summer White, lime juice and ¼ tsp kosher salt. Mix everything together.
- To cook the pork, begin by thinly slicing a pound of pork butt into bite-sized strips. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Heat a skillet with oil over medium heat and sear the meat until brown and cooked through. You may need to do this in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Thinly slice an avocado.
- Place some cooked pork into a tortilla and top with salsa, avocado, Greek yogurt and mixed greens.
Serve with a glass of Summer White.
I enjoyed the wine by itself, but it was even better with food! The sweetness cleansed the palate and balanced the spice after each bite.
Hillary | Nutrition Nut on the Run says
mmm, i love mango salsa in the summer. i have a mango avocado salsa i love to make for fish tacos.
Julie @ RDelicious Kitchen says
love this recipe! that’s so cool that you got to develop recipes for them!!
Susan H @ The Food Allergy Chronicles says
I love idea of pairing of the fruity wine with lime in the salsa…unfortunately, I am not a mango fan so would opt for a nectarine, tomato or even corn salsa. 🙂
Jen says
MMMM you had me at nectarine! 🙂 That sounds like a great substitute (although I love mango).
Sydney @ Trust the Skinny Cook says
I ENVY your mango skills. Mine never turn out all pretty like that.
Bridget Miller says
these look INCREDIBLE!!!!! beautiful photos, and gorgeous food 🙂
Saffron says
Was the pork in any way chewy? I’ve never had pork butt, is all.
Suzanne says
That mango is beautiful! Well done 🙂
Beauty Health Goddess says
Wow! This looks absolutely delicious. I love the added touch of Mango!
I am such a fan of tasty and healthy tacos! Check out my site www.beautyhealthgoddess.com to see how I eat clean! <3 xoxo p.s. you're pics are beautiful!
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio says
Looks delicious Kath!!
Crystal @ Simply Playful Fare says
These are just beautiuful! I love the combinations, and the technique for cutting the mango is great!
Jessica @ Chocolate Covered Chickpeas says
Wow, the photos are gorgeous! I just might try this with the jalapeño seeds left in! 😉
Vidya says
That food is so gourmet and so tempting! The mango looks like a beautiful flower, so impressive! I heart mangoes 🙂
Tonya says
Whatza mango cheek? Cheeks. Butts. So pg-13, this post. And I, am obviously an adolescent on this sunny happy Friday. LOL No seriously, what’s the cheek??
KathEats says
The sides! Think face cheeks not butt cheeks : )
Claire @ Health Nut Claire says
These look great! And that mango really is a work of art!! Haha.
Aubrey says
That looks DELISH! I might just be making that tonight for the fiance 😀
Erin Motz says
This looks beautiful! And that mango definitely steals the show. I don’t know if I’ll use the jalepeno – last time I cooked with one I got juice in my eyes (HOLY FIRE!!!!!) and burned my cheek. It was pretty traumatizing, lol.
Maggie @ Sunnyside Up Smile says
Mhmmm these tacos look heavenly! Anything that’s made with mango or made by you is worth trying so I’ll definitely make these! 🙂
Jeanie says
That sounds and looks delicious!
Jeri says
First Sweet Karen’s Nachos. Now Pork Carnitas? You are take me on a whole new experience! I only use Mangos in smoothies but now I’m ready for this!!
S/N: you should really look into being a nutritionist for the VA hospital and its MOVE clinic. I still brag about you all the time
Kaila @healthyhelperblog! says
These look delicious aside from the fact that I don’t eat pork! But I’m sure it could be easily subbed with chicken or fish! And please tell me I’m not the only one who chuckled a bit after reading ‘pork butt’ ! LOL So immature sometimes!
Emily @ Life on Food says
These look super yummy. I never think to use pork with tacos. I know what will be for dinner this week.
[email protected] for the soul says
You guys, this is a great lookin’ meal! And that salsa sounds divine, and I love the mango picture too~what lens did you use for these shots? 😉
KathEats says
My usual – the Canon 35mm F/2 : )
Live Love Yum says
Awesome photos. Love this idea – creative recipe idea Kath!
Jen says
Hey Kath – love the sound of the mango salsa recipe! Bet it would be great on fish, too. Question about the cut of pork, though. Isn’t pork butt usually cooked slow and low? Seems like pork loin/tenderloin might be better suited to this cooking method. But, I’ve never tried pork butt quickly seared, so who knows! Is it tender?
Lisa @bitesforbabies says
Perfect recipe for a hot summer’s day 😉
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
Mango salsa has to one of my absolute favourites at the moment. Although, I will admit that I don’t quite have the same skill that you do for cutting the mango. Mine ends up a total mess.
Amy says
This looks delicious! Is sunflower oil your go to high heat oil?
KathEats says
Yep!
Molly @ RDexposed says
Love the mango art!! My mangos turn out to be a serious mess when I cut them.
Kevin | Burn Fat And Feed Muscle says
Going to have to surprise my wife with this dish tomorrow. I know she’ll love it even before I pull out the wine. Once it does come out though….happy, happy, happy. She loves Naked Grape and so do I. Fav is the Malbec. And no, I don’t work for them:)
Looks really good.
Alie says
So there is only 1 ounce of the wine that is in the salsa? Or am I missing it somewhere else…
Katherine says
i love mango salsa!
http://therealfoodrunner.blogspot.com
Sara @ sarasmiles says
Sounds (and looks) absolutely amazing. Those mango pictures are beautiful!
Lindsay says
YUM! This is the perfect recipe for us. We now have a mango tree in our backyard, and a super friendly landlord that shares with us! We are brimming with them and I’m trying to find all sorts of ways to make them last and not waste a bite! Making this salsa, TODAY!
Katie @ Real Food Katie's Way says
The patience you had in cutting that mango really shines Kath!
I’m usually so impatient and DYING to get my lips on some mango that it looks like a 5 year old accidentally got at it…with an object not typically used to cut anything 😆
Adam says
This looks delicious! I love any recipe with Mango salsa in it!
Nicole says
Umm, that sounds amazing…yum. Want now.
Kathryn Michel says
Here was my take on pork tacos for the Fourth of July!
http://dearkathrynmichel.blogspot.com/2013/07/tacolicious-4th-of-july.html
Neil Butterfield says
This is certainly something that my wife would love. I guess I better send her this recipe. 🙂