I picked up a couple of persimmons when they came in season (October through February) with the plan to come up with some type of relish or chutney. After a long day of meal prep (I always end up doing more than I should) I wanted to experiment with this cheery looking fruit.
As with many of my recipes, one of my kids was in the kitchen with me to share opinions of how it's going. When I mixed the onion, persimmon and goat cheese together with the balsamic vinegar, we knew we had a winner.
The second time I made it for my mom and she suggested the cranberries and pecans, which of course I immediately added. What a great addition! The cranberries lend another layer of tart flavor and the chewy texture while the pecans bring a nice crunch. Either way the persimmon harvest salad is delicious, with or without the optional ingredients. Also, mom thought it seemed more like a salad than a relish or chutney. Whatever you wanna call it! It's yum.
In the recipe, I recommend soaking the red onion in a bowl of ice water, this will take out the “bite” of the onion, and hopefully prevent that onion-y taste after you've finished eating! You can totally skip that step if you are in a hurry or for whatever reason.
Also, I estimated the best ratio of ingredients here, however, just know that unless you are baking you don't really have to measure! Just use your best judgement or your own taste buds to decide how you like it. You may like more goat cheese and less onions or whatever, do it your way.
Persimmon Harvest Salad
Ingredients
- 3 Persimmons, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/4 cup pecan pieces, optional but delish
- 1/4 cup cranberries, optional but delish
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Dice red onion and put in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes or longer.
- Dice persimmons, mix together with Balsamic Vinegar, and drained onions, then set aside.
- Dice avocado and crumble goat cheese, then gently mix into persimmon and onion mixture. If you over mix at this step the goat cheese and avocado could turn creamy depending on how ripe the avocado is.
- Salt to taste.
- Top with pecan and cranberries.
- Serve on top of lettuce greens or as a stand alone side dish; goes great with salmon, ham, and chicken as well.
If you're still thinking about what to make for your fall table, try Caramel Dipped Persimmons as well.
Don't forget to add this seasonal salad to your Thanksgiving dinner table for something new and different. Let me know if you try it!
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