Barbecued Spiced Turkey Breast with Mango Mojo

Adjust the fire elements to your liking, ease up on the cayenne, or add an extra pinch if desired. You can also control the heat by applying a thin or thick coating of the rub. The turkey fillets can be grilled whole or cut into individual portions before cooking.

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon five spice powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne (more or less as desired)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Generous pinch of lemon pepper
• 1 pound turkey breast fillet

1. Measure the spice rub ingredients into a small bowl and blend thoroughly. If there are small clumps of seasonings, such as dried mustard, press them against the bowl with the back of a spoon so that no one’s tastebuds gets blasted with an unwelcome hit of hot spice. This can be made ahead, placed in a tightly sealed jar, and stored in your cupboard for a month.



2. Rinse the turkey and pat dry with a paper towel. With your fingers, lightly rub the spice mix into the turkey, covering all surfaces. Do not dip the pieces into the spices—the coating will be too thick. Set aside for at least 15 minutes, or up to an hour ahead.

3. Grill the turkey until done, 10 to 12 minutes for large fillets, 5 to 6 minutes for smaller cutlets. Size of turkey fillets and heat of the grill will determine exact time. Serve with the Mango Mojo.

(Serves 4)

Mango Mojo Spice Rub

	Quick Tip
	Caught with too many mangoes? Or half a mango? Freeze it. Slice or dice the pulp, add sugar or honey, and lemon juice to prevent darkening, and place in a freezer-tight container or plastic freezer bag for up to six months. Serve while still partially frozen to retain the shape.

Want to join the crew for some bike polo or a holiday softball tournament but dinner’s up to you? Free yourself from hours of prep work with this simple, make-ahead menu. Start with an entrée of lean turkey breast that leaves room on your calorie counter for dessert. If you don’t have access to an outdoor grill, simply sear the turkey on all sides in a skillet coated with a light film of vegetable spray and roast in a 450 degree F oven (turning once during cooking) for 15 minutes or so until the juices run clear.

• 1 medium, ripe mango, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chile paste, more or less as desired

1. Place the mango in a blender and add the remaining ingredients. Purée until smooth, adding more chile paste if desired.



2. Let stand for at least 15 minutes to marry the flavors. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

A Word About Cooking With Mangoes

Midsummer mango mania continued. Depending on the variety, mangos are tinged with varying shades of yellow, orange, green, purple, and/or deep red. Color is less an indicator of ripeness then tenderness. Choose as you would a stone fruit, such as avocado, peach or plum. You want a mango that is soft but not mushy. Now, once you get it home, how do you peel the darn things? Mangoes have a thick, fibrous core and soft pulp that are at odds with one another when you try to peel them neatly. To avoid having them turn to mush your hands, peel them last. Stand the mango on its side and slice from top to bottom about half an inch from the center on four sides. Discard the core and score the flesh in about one-inch diamonds. Scoop out the cubes and discard the peel.

Health Notes

Everybody loves mango, and I don’t mean that saucy guy on Saturday Night Live. Cooks love to turn these gold-flecked fruits into desserts, salads, chutneys, and sauces, we love to eat them and dieters love them for their measly 95 calories. By itself the mango is a bargain of a lean dessert. And, last but not least, nutritionists love them for their fiber, high concentration of vitamin A, as well as vitamins B, C, and carotinoids, those disease-fighters found in red and yellow fruits and vegetables. So lose yourself in a little mango madness. It’s good for you.