Persimmons

The featured food this week is the persimmon! These pretty fruits showed up in my CSA this week. While I have eaten them before I had no experience preparing them. Here is what I learned...

Persimmons originated in ancient China, but are now widely grown in California. Their glossy orange-red skin is not only pleasing to the eye but provides us with an excellent source of vitamin A, a good source of vitamin C and a good source of fiber.

Here is the nutrition breakdown:

1 medium persimmon contains 120 calories, no fat, and 6 grams of fiber. That means one persimmon meets 21% of your daily fiber needs!

Fuya

There are 2 types of persimmons commercially available. The most common the Hachiya, which has an acorn like shape and remains tart until it becomes very soft and ripe. The second (and the kind I had this week) is the Fuya. These look like a squashed tomato (or an heirloom tomato). They are smaller, sweeter, and unlike the other type, are edible when still firm.



Hachiya



Persimmons are available from September to December. But, their peak availability is right now in November.

I sliced mine, topped it with a big scoop of plain Greek yogurt and sprinkled some organic granola over the top. It was a very tasty and also very filling breakfast. My CSA box also included a fruit salad recipe using persimmons. I haven't gotten around to making it yet but it sound delicious. Here it is -

Fall Festival Fruit Salad

Here’s another festive fall fruit salad that brings the bounty of autumn to your table. You can easily substitute agave nectar for honey, add celery root, apples or slices of citrus. This is a simple yet versatile recipe ready for your creativity. Want to give it a savory zing, add crushed lavender flowers or mint and minced rosemary.
2-3 persimmons, peeled, cut into chunks

2 large pears, cut into chunks

1/2 lb. grapes, halved

1 Celeriac (celery root), shredded

2/3 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

1 lemon, juiced



2 t lemon zest

2 Honeys

1 Tred wine vinegar or champagne vinegar

Salt



In a large bowl combine lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, a pinch of salt and vinegar. Add persimmons and pears and toss until coated. Add grapes and celeriac. Add more honey or more vinegar to your liking. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Remove from refrigerator and stir in walnuts or pecans. To serve, spoon over a bed of arugula or alone.

Variations:

Add a juicy element with wedges of 1 or 2 sweet oranges. Peel and separate wedges.

Add more fall crispness with Fuji or Honeycrisp apple. 1 or 2 peeled, cored and sliced.