Tropical Mango Salad Shooter

Yield: 100 snack portions.

1½ cups caramelized fresh mango, minced (instructions follow)
1 cup shaved unsweetened coconut, toasted
½ tsp. salt 
mango-corn custard (recipe follows)
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. salt
8 oz. micro greens

Mango-Corn Custard:
2 ½ Tbsp. butter, or as needed
4 cups corn
3 ¾ cups heavy cream
3 Tbsp. turbinado sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 ¼ cups cold milk
9 egg yolks
5 eggs
1 cup fresh mango, caramelized and minced

For caramelized mango: Caramelize peeled mango pieces/medium chunks in a large nonstick pan or nonstick electric griddle preheated on high heat setting. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, periodically stirring to get colorization. Cool before mincing for this recipe.

For mango-corn custard: Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter six 8 to 10-oz glass or ceramic ramekins. Set ramekins into a 2” deep baking dish.

Place corn in a large saucepan and stir in cream, sugar, salt and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in milk. Transfer corn mixture to a blender and pulse several times to get the mixture moving. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.

In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks with eggs until smooth. Slowly whisk about ¼ cup hot corn mixture into eggs until corn mixture is incorporated. Repeat several times until all of corn mixture is incorporated. Fold in caramelized minced mango.

Divide mango-corn mixture evenly into ramekins. Pour hot tap water into the baking dish to approximately halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake in a preheated oven until custard is set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool about 45 minutes before unmolding. The mixture should be soft, similar to crème brulee. To unmold, run a knife around the edge to loosen. Transfer contents of all ramekins into a bowl, stir gently and fill piping bag for service.

For salad shooter: Mix caramelized mango and toasted coconut with ½ tsp. salt. Hold chilled.

Pipe 1 to 2 oz. mango-corn custard into 3-oz. clear/glass shot glasses. Top with 1 Tbsp. caramelized mango-coconut mixture; hold chilled. Just before service, mix lime juice, olive oil, salt and micro greens. Top each serving with 10 to 15 strands of micro greens.