Marie’s Green Mango Chutney

One evening at Marie Permenter's house in Trinidad, with Scotch-and-coconut water cocktails in hand, Mary Jane and I began discussing the versatility of mangos. Marie dashed into the kitchen and proceeded to whip up the following chutney for us to taste. Because of the ingredients, one would think that the taste is overwhelming. But quite the contrary; it is delicate and can be used as a dip for chips (plantain chips work well), vegetables, or crackers. Spanish thyme is also known as Indian borage (Coleus amboinicus), and Cuban oregano. Its origin is unknown, but it is grown as a fresh herb in many parts of the Caribbean. From the article Mango Madness!

Ingredients

1 head garlic, peeled, pureed in a blender
4 green mangos, peeled, pits removed, and coarsely diced
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 Congo pepper or habanero, seeds and stems removed, minced
1 pinch salt
4 leaves Shadow Bennie (culantro) or substitute 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 leaf Spanish thyme or substitute 1 teaspoon fresh thyme and 1/2 teaspoon fresh Greek oregano

Instructions

Combine all ingredients with the garlic in the blender and blend until the mixture is very fine and almost runny. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for later use. Bring to room temperature before serving.