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Persimmons have a tangy, sweet flavor when fully ripe, or else it can have a bitter flavor. (Photos.com/Olga Popova)
The persimmon is a fruit of Japanese origin but is cultivated in many parts of the world, including the Mediterranean, Middle East, South America, and the United States. The fruit has a tangy, sweet flavor when fully ripe, or else it can have a bitter flavor.
A persimmon looks similar to a tomato, a bit more heart-shaped, with a red-orange skin and flesh with some papery leaves on top.
Choose fruit that is soft and plump, but not mushy. The skin should be smooth, bright, and shiny. To prepare it, wash the skin gently and cut the fruit in half. Remove the stem leaves, the core, and seeds.
Persimmons can be eaten raw or used in baked goods. They contain a large amount of vitamin A and some vitamin C.
2 cups self-rising flour
Makes 8 servings
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter
1/2 cup persimmon pulp
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place unripe persimmons in a freezer overnight. In the morning, peel, remove the papery leaves, and mash the pulp. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Sift dry ingredients into a bowl, and mix well. Work in the butter and mix until the mixture has small pea-sized bits of butter.
In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, persimmon pulp, and vanilla; then pour into the dry ingredients.
Blend until the mixture just comes together. With extra flour, shape the mixture into one large, round circle 1-inch thick; score the dough into 8 even-size triangular wedges.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet in the upper half of the oven and bake 15–18 minutes, until golden brown.
4 cups mixed greens
2 persimmons, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup walnut/
1 tablespoon honey, warmed
3 tablespoons walnut oil
6 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon quatre épices
In a small bowl, combine the walnut oil, vinegar, and quatre épices. Set aside.
Toss the walnuts in honey and bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Cool.
In a large bowl, add the greens, persimmons, cranberries, and walnuts and toss with the dressing.
Editor’s note: If necessary, pumpkin can be substituted for the persimmons in the scone recipe, and plums can be used in the salad. Quartre épices is French spice mix of white pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger that can be bought in a specialty spice store, or there are many recipes online to make.
Jennifer Wickes is a freelance writer with 30 years of cooking experience. She has been featured in Home Cooking magazine, Bon Appétit, Better Homes and Gardens, and many more.
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