Persimmons are a lovely fall treat, great for making baked goods, fruit leather, pudding, jam, and other sweets—or just slicing and enjoying raw. But you can also use this autumnal fruit in more savory dishes.
The fuyu variety of persimmon, which tastes similar to an apricot or date with notes of cinnamon, is great in salads, in stews, or roasted. Fuyus are ready to eat immediately, even when slightly firm—unlike American or hachiya types, which need to be very soft and ripe to be edible. Some people prefer to peel persimmons before eating, but you don’t have to. Fuyu persimmons are available from Lee’s One Fortune Farm at Asheville City Market, Black Mountain, West Asheville, River Arts District, Weaverville, and East Asheville markets.
The cinnamon spice note in fuyu persimmons lends itself well to Middle Eastern and North African flavors. Try roasting thick slices of persimmons alongside yogurt-and-harissa-marinated chicken thighs and serving over rice pilaf. The leftovers from this meal would also make a great lunch stuffed inside a pita with cucumbers and yogurt…