Damn it’s cold here right now. Good hot & hearty soup weather. But I came upon several persimmons last weekend and while waiting for them to ripen have settled on the below delicious salad. But first, a word about this lovely fruit.
Persimmons are in season now, and there are 2 main kinds: Fuyus, the round variety:
and the heart-shaped Hachiyas:
Fuyus can be eaten pretty much right away and will keep for a couple weeks. Hachiyas need to get really soft to be enjoyed or the tannins will make you pucker. Persimmons are high in vita C and potassium and beta carotene. And they are yummy! The fuyus give a better presentation than the hachiyas since they can be sliced and placed on a platter or in salads. The hachiyas have to be so ripe by the time you eat them that they’re very juicy and fleshy, and I like those best.
Here’s a beautiful and delicious winter salad featuring persimmons and pomegranates. High in antioxidants! Enjoy.
* 3 fuyu persimmons, peeled, chopped (1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces), seeds (if any) discarded
* 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
* 1 Granny Smith or Fuji apple, peeled, cored, chopped (1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces)
* 7-10 leaves fresh mint, thinly sliced crosswise (stack then, then roll them up like a cigar and take slices from the end)
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice (preferably from meyer lemons)
* 1 teaspoon honey or agave if desired.
Gently toss all of the ingredients together. Best eaten same day it is made.
Mary Vance is a Certified Nutrition Consultant and author specializing in digestive health. She combines a science-based approach with natural therapies to rebalance the body. In addition to her 1:1 coaching, she offers courses to help you heal your gut and improve your health. Mary lives in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe in Northern California. Read more about her coaching practice here and her background here.
