Have you ever tried a persimmon?
Hey, don't feel bad. I only tried my first persimmon about 5 years ago.
They look like goofy orange heirloom tomatoes with a flowery green top, but they're actually a fruit!
There are two main types of persimmons: fuyu & hachiya.
Fuyu persimmons are easier to find, and generally more well-liked. While they are shaped like heirloom tomatoes, they are actually firm & crisp, sort of like an apple, and taste just mildly sweet.
In contrast, hachiya persimmons are shaped more like Roma tomatoes. While they start out firm, you're not supposed to eat them until they are super duper ripe & have a soft gelatinous texture (not my personal favorite).
So clearly, the 2 types of persimmons have very different uses!
For this delectable fall salad, I chose fuyu persimmons from my local farmers market.
I especially recommend shopping for hard to find seasonal produce at your local market, rather than at a regular grocery store. The fruit at your farmers market is fresh-picked, and actually tastes ripe and delicious like it's supposed to. Fruit at the grocery store was picked who knows how long ago, not at peak ripeness, and has been sitting on the shelves for days to weeks, waiting for someone to purchase it.
Trust me, fresh local produce is NOTHING like the grainy tasteless options available at the grocery store. So please, if you plan to make this salad, get your persimmons from a local farmer!
Since fuyu persimmons have a crisp texture to them, they pair well with other crisp fruits, like apples.
But, since sturdy fruits have such a firm texture, they don't make the best salads if they're just chopped into cubes and tossed together. It's much more fun to thinly slice them, using a mandoline, to make the fruit easy to pierce with a fork and give each piece the optimal dressing to fruit ratio.
Let's be real though, a salad of JUST apple and persimmon would be boring. It needs a succulent tart pop of freshness.
Oh hey there, pomegranate, I see you sitting there next to the persimmons. Why yes, you WOULD make a wonderful companion in this dish!
All it needs to bring everything together is a honey-lime dressing and a sprinkle of creamy queso fresco cheese. YUM!!
This is a show stopping salad that would be excellent for Thanksgiving, or just enjoyed during the brief pomegranate and persimmon season this fall.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 Fuyu persimmons
- 2 Fuji apples
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pomegranate arils from ½ of a large pomegranate
- 2.5 oz freshly crumbled queso fresco
Instructions
- Cut the tops and bottoms off of the persimmons and apples. Use a mandoline to thinly slice them into rounds, or, if you don't have a mandoline, do your best to thinly slice with a knife.
- Once the fruit is sliced, stack the slices and cut the stack into quarters. Place in a medium salad bowl and set aside while you make the dressing.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, fresh lime juice, and salt. Pour over the persimmons and apples, and use your hands to toss and make sure each piece is nicely coated with dressing.
- Add the pomegranate arils and crumbled cheese, then toss lightly to combine. Serve right away.
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