Mango & Calamansi Salmon

2 1/2 lb salmon
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup calamansi juice
1 large ripe mango, cut into strips
3 Thai bird chile, sliced
2 1/2 tablespoons coconut vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Rip off a length of foil about twice the length of your fish. Place on a baking sheet, leaving just enough to cover the pan on the pan and the rest flopping off. Place rings of onion in a single layer on the foil, about the length of the fish. Place the fish, skin side down, on the onions. Layer the mango on top. Sprinkle evenly with chile pepper rings. Pour the juice and vinegar over top the fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then drizzle with olive oil. Fold the foil over and crimp close on all sides. Bake for 20 minutes or until the salmon is fully cooked.

My thoughts:

I was so excited to win a box of calamansi from a fellow food blogger. Living in the mid-Atlantic we don't get some of the more exotic citrus out there. I have been dying to try calamansi after reading what seems like dozens of Filipino cookbooks and using up half a bottle of calamansi soy sauce. The cookbooks always say you can just use lime or lemon (or a combo of the two) but I really wanted to try the real thing. As it turns out, calamansi tastes more like a cross between a clementine and a kumquat. It also ended up being a really great pairing with mango. The tropical sweet-tartness accented the creamy floral note in my Kent mango. Serving the two over salmon might seem a bit unusual but it works, the salmon stays tender and moist and takes on a subtle fruity flavor. The cooked mango was delicious as well. I need to incorporate more fruit into my dinners! All in all, a fresh tasting, easy yet impressive dish.