Puerto Rico Primas: Mango Cucumber Salad
0
Jumping for joy in Culebra
“How do you all know each other again?”
“We’re COUSINS!!”
“Oh…huh. Really? Okay. Well, you ladies want a beer?”
So went many conversations during our week adventure in Puerto Rico. Perfectly normal to us that four cousins would fly across the country, pile into a pimped out Honda Accord with a decidedly loud muffler, and explore all over the island, turns out that’s not most folk’s M.O. But it is ours….and it was fun.
The last to arrive in San Juan, I was greeted curbside at midnight by three beauties hanging out of the car with the tunes blasting. From there we would spend a week sunning, laughing, dancing, snorkeling, kayaking, horseback riding, and naturally, eating.
They say that Puerto Rico isn’t know for its food, and I would be tempted to agree. There is an abundance of slightly tired, deep-fried “things” (sorry, can’t think of what else to call them), but the real culinary beauty of PR comes in the incredible fruits and vegetables that one can buy for next to nothing from little stands on the side of the road.
This Mang0-Cucumber salad was the perfect accompaniment to the Citrus Shrimp (recipe coming) and Pilaf we enjoyed our first night at the Culebra Beach Villas.* Exceedingly simple and fast to prepare, it is also very refreshing. We were out of avocados, but you could definitely toss some of that in as well. Serve when looking out at the ocean from your private villa, feet covered in sand, cheeks kissed with sun, and surrounded by the laughter and love of dear family.
Mango Cucumber Salad
2 large cucumbers, peeled and diced
2 large mangoes, peeled and diced
1 lime
Salt and Pepper
Mix the cucumbers and mangoes in a large bowl. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice over it. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
*For the record, these villas are outstanding. We stayed in 2B, and it literally was steps from the beach, with grand vistas out to the ocean and surrounding cliffs. Culebra itself is a small island approximately 17 miles off of Puerto Rico. Accessible via ferry it offers the perfect respite from the bustling, and at times overwhelming, San Juan. The people are lovely, the pace relaxed, and the beaches breath-taking.
Erina, Kate, Margaret, and Annie-Laurie
**All photos by my lovely cousin Annie Laurie Malarkey.**
Category Health Conscious, Month of Exploration, Salads, Uncategorized, Vegetarian | Tags: avocado, cucumber, culebra, culebra beach villas, mango, mango cucumber salad, Puerto Rico
Since I can’t be a cousin, I’ll content myself with mango cucumber salad. Might even get racy and toss in a dash of chile. Or does that take one to Mexico?
A dash of chile would be good. I also think a little mint in it might be a nice addition! Let us know what you come up with and how it turns out!
The hunt is on in Ippers for a mango. This recipe sounds fantastic.
You might try Trader Joes for mango. They have it peeled and ready to go. A bit more expensive but pretty hassle free.
Hello!
I’m glad I found your blog! crazy about mangos too 🙂
I am thinking about renting apartment 2B in Culebra villas, do you have any recommendations so what to bring? and…Any issues with bugs/cleaningness? I’ve read in trip advisor a not so positive comment about the same room but that was a year ago..
sorry, I just want to make sure our stay would be as wonderful as yours seems it was! Thank you!
Hi Helen,
Thanks for reading. The Culebra villas are terrific. In terms of what to bring…you’re litterally steps from the beach, so definitely a big towel or blanket and also it’s a great beach for running or paddle ball or whatnot. We had no issues with bugs or cleanliness whatsoever. They have apartments that are smaller and freestanding so that you don’t have to share a wall, but I actually preferred where we stayed which was closer to the beach and maybe 4 or 5 stories tall and each floor is the apartment. I think those are newer. It really was a fabulous time…so I highly, highly recommend!
Also, no cars on Culebra and groceries are really expensive, so I recommend buying food on the mainland and bringing it in a cooler and then just cabbing.