Mango and Red Onion Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 2 mangoes
• preferably from Florida
• 1/2 cup chopped watercress
• 1 medium red Bermuda onion
• 1 cup torn mesclun salad greens
• Fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons honey
• at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced Fresno chile
• or other hot red chile
• optional

Instructions

1. Cut each mango in half, using the tip of your knife to cut around the large pit in the center, then twisting the halves to loosen and remove the pit.
2. With the knife tip, make slashes through the pulp but not the skin.
3. Cut again in the other direction to make crosshatch marks in the fruit.
4. Push the skin of the fruit inside out so that the pulp projects outward.
5. With a spoon, scoop the already-cut pulp into a bowl.
6. Add the watercress to the bowl.
7. Cut the onion in half lengthwise, peel it, and thinly slice from root to stem end in a fine julienne.
8. Add it to the bowl with the mango.
9. Add the greens, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently.
10. Put the honey, oil, lime juice, basil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and Fresno pepper, if using, in a small bowl and stir or whisk together.
11. Season with salt, pepper, and more pepper flakes if desired.
12. Pour this vinaigrette over the mango and onion.
13. Divide the salad among 4 salad plates or pass family style from the center of the table as an appetizer or side dish.