MIAMI -- For mango lovers, this season is particularly sweet.

An unusually cold December and record dry season were the perfect recipe for “one of the better years,” for the golden beauties, said Louise King, president of the Tropical Fruit Growers of South Florida. “It’s absolutely wonderful for mangoes. They look like jewels hanging from the trees.”

Their flavor is exceptionally sumptuous, too.

“This year, they’re prettier, they’re sweeter,” said Dr. Richard Campbell, director of horticulture for Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Fla. “Everything about them is better because of the very, very dry conditions we’ve had. The contrast to last winter makes this year’s mangoes “look incredibly good.”

Like other brightly colored tropical fruits, mangoes are a nutritional powerhouse, with 100 percent of the daily value of vitamin C, one-third of the vitamin A and 3 grams of fiber in a 100-calorie, 1-cup serving.

While late-bearing trees will be supplying us with mangoes through the late summer and fall, you’ll have to gobble up the current crop.

Now that the rainy season has kicked in, the fruit is maturing quickly, said Michael Orfanedes, a commercial horticulture agent for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Mangoes have many uses.

“I cut them up and freeze them, dehydrate them and make trail mix. I make mango chutney, mango kebabs, mango upside-down cake,” she said.

Still, one of her favorite ways to enjoy the “ultimate summer fruit” is the simple, classic method: “Eat over the sink and let the juice run down your arm.”

SHRIMP SUMMER ROLLS

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 ounces rice vermicelli

12 (8-inch) rice paper wrappers

1 large, ripe mango, pitted and peeled

18 large shrimp (about 3/4 pound), shelled, cooked and cut in half lengthwise

2 large carrots, finely shredded

1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into thin strips

24 leaves basil, cilantro or mint

Garlic dipping sauce (see note)

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add salt and vermicelli, and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, and rinse in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Using scissors, cut the noodles into 2-inch lengths.

Fill a large bowl halfway with cold water. Separate the rice paper wrappers, submerge in the water and soak 5 minutes. The paper will become opaque and pliable. Remove and drain on paper towels. Arrange 3 wrappers on a dry work surface, keeping the rest covered with a damp towel.

Cut mango flesh into strips ½ inch by 1 ½ inches.

Across the bottom third of one sheet of rice paper, place two pieces of mango, about 1 tablespoon vermicelli, 2 tablespoons carrot and 2 strips red pepper. Fold up the bottom edge of the wrapper tightly, then fold in the ends and roll over once. Just before the last roll, place 3 shrimp halves and 3 basil leaves on the bundle and finish rolling into a tight cylinder. Transfer the finished roll to a serving tray, seam side down. Cover with lightly moistened paper towels while you fill the remaining wrappers.

Halve each roll diagonally with a serrated knife; serve with dipping sauce. Makes 12 rolls.

Note: To make the dipping sauce, whisk together ½ cup fish sauce (nuoc mam), ½ cup water, the juice of 2 limes, 1/4 cup sugar, 5 minced garlic cloves and 2 tablespoons Asian chili paste. Makes about 1 ½ cups.

Source: Miami Herald columnist Carole Kotkin.

RICE WITH MANGO (ARROZ CON MANGO)

Miami Herald columnist Maricel E. Presilla was inspired to create this a riff on fried rice by an old expression. “When we Cubans get ourselves into a complicated mess,” she wrote, “we say we are in an ‘arroz con mango,’ literally ‘rice with mango.’”

2 medium mangoes (preferably half ripe)

1/4 cup soy sauce plus more to taste

2 tablespoons Japanese brown rice vinegar or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon aged rum

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 small chicken breast (about 4 ½ ounces), diced

1/4 pound smoked ham, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice

3 scallions with 3 inches green, finely chopped

5 medium shiitake mushrooms, rinsed, patted dried, stem removed and cut into ½-inch dice

4 cups cooked white rice

1 tablespoon finely chopped culantro or cilantro

A 2-egg omelet, lightly salted and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup frozen or fresh peas

Peel the mango and cut into 1/4-inch dice; place in a small bowl.

In another bowl, whisk the soy sauce with the vinegar, rum and sugar. Add the chicken and ham and toss to coat with the sauce. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

In a wok or 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until it sizzles. Add the garlic and saute for 10 seconds. Add the onion, bell pepper, scallion and mushrooms and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken, ham and sauce, and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.

Add the rice, cilantro, diced omelet and peas, and cook, stirring with more soy sauce to taste or a bit of vinegar if needed, until all the ingredients are combined and the rice acquires a uniform tan color. Add diced mangoes and toss with the rice to combine. Makes 6 servings.

MANGO PEPPER

2 pounds green mango, peeled and chopped

1/4 pound scotch bonnet peppers

4 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup white vinegar

Working in batches, puree all the ingredients in a blender. Makes about 2 cups.

Source: Gladys Manikram, as adapted by Miami Herald staff writer Nancy Ancrum.

CARIBBEAN BROWN STEW SNAPPER

1 ½ pounds red snapper fillets (or similar fish)

½ cup fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons Jamaican or other dark rum

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, sliced into rings

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 green bell pepper, diced

1½ cups fish stock or water

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

Pickapeppa and Worcestershire sauce to taste

Rinse the fish under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. If fillets are large, cut into serving-size pieces. Combine the lime juice, rum, ginger and garlic, and pour over the fish in a glass dish. Refrigerate, covered for 2 to 3 hours.

When ready to cook, heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy, nonreactive (i.e., not cast iron or aluminum) skillet. Drain the marinade and add fillets to the pan. Fry lightly on both sides until almost done. Remove fish from the pan and set aside.

Add onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and let it brown slightly before adding the tomato paste and bell pepper. Slowly add the fish stock. Bring to a rolling boil and cook until gravy thickens, 3 to 5 minutes.

Return fish to pan and add tomato and mango. Cook just until warmed through. Season gravy to taste with Pickapeppa and serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Linda Cicero’s Cook’s Corner column.

FLEMING’S MANGO SALSA

2 cups diced mango

2 cups diced fresh pineapple

1 cup diced red bell pepper

4 tablespoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

2 to 3 tablespoons sugar (to taste)

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Combine the ingredients in a glass bowl. Cover and set aside for 2 hours before using. Makes 10 (½-cup) servings.

Source: Linda Cicero’s Cook’s Corner column.

VICTOR’S CAFE MANGO FLAN

For the caramel:

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

For the flan:

1 pound mango pulp (about 4 medium mangoes)

7 eggs

3 egg yolks

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

To make the caramel, mix the sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook on medium-high heat, stirring often, until mixture bubbles and turns a light caramel color. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Roll hot caramel around dish to coat bottom and sides. Set aside to cool.

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Puree and strain the mango. Add the eggs, yolks, condensed and regular milks and sugar; blend thoroughly. Pour into caramelized baking dish. Place baking dish in a larger pan and pour hot water into the larger pan so it comes halfway up the sides of the smaller one. Bake for 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Chill before inverting to serve. Makes 12 servings.

Source: Linda Cicero’s Cook’s Corner column.

MANGO BUTTER

8 cups peeled and chopped ripe mango

3 cups brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon grated fresh lime zest

½ cup fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Place the mangoes in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until very soft. (Since mangoes are usually very juicy, you needn’t add any water unless the mixture starts to stick; then add up to ½ cup, a little at a time, as necessary.)

When the mangoes are cooked, remove from heat and puree in a blender or food processor, working carefully in batches. Return puree to the pan and stir in sugar, ginger, lime zest, lime juice and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium heat, lower heat and cook, stirring often, until very thick, about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and immediately pour into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Cap and process in a 10-minute boiling water bath. Makes 4 ½-pint jars.

Source: Linda Cicero’s Cook’s Corner column.

MANGO-BLUEBERRY COBBLER

For the filling:

3 cups sliced, peeled mangoes

2 cups blueberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

For the topping:

½ cup flour

4 tablespoons sugar, divided

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch salt

1/3 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

To make filling, mix mangoes, blueberries and lemon juice in large bowl. Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and ginger in small bowl. Sprinkle over fruit; toss to coat well. Spoon into an 11-by-7-inch baking dish coated with vegetable-oil spray.

For the topping, mix flour, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder, ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add buttermilk; mix well. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls into 6 portions onto fruit mixture. Mix remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle over biscuits.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and topping is browned. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

Source: McCormick Spices.