Ingredient: fuyu persimmons, ripe but firm

Persimmons are in season between November and February. Mildly sweet and juicy with a slight crunch reminiscent of a cross between a peach and a pear. Since there is only a short window in which you can enjoy this exotic fruit, persimmons make up for it by working well in both sweet and savory recipes.

The two most commonly available varieties are Fuyu and Hachiyas. Some recipes prefer one over the other. Treat them like you would an apple and turn them into jams, puree, tarts and cakes. Paired with pork adds a nice fruity and caramelizing sweetness.

Fuyus are squat and round whereas Hachiyas are acorn shaped and have a pointed bottom. When buying persimmons, look for the unblemished skin with the green leaves and top still attached. The texture should be like a tomato-firm but a bit of give without being to soft. Persimmons are usually sold unripe, so leave them on the counter for a day or two until the skin deepens to a rich sunset orange.

Cardamom is a complex flavor that can be used in any of the usual autumn and winter recipes. There is nothing subtle about cardamom, so when used in all but sparing amounts, it will dominate whatever its paired with. Cardamom has been used in Christmas baking in Germany since the middle ages.

You can eat roasted persimmons hot or cold. For a quick breakfast, make a batch ahead of time, then just reheat in the microwave or eat cold.

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Cardamom Roasted Persimmons

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Rating: 5
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Course

Brunch, dessert

Cuisine

American, European, German, Middle Eastern

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp hot water
• 1 vanilla bean
• 4 fuyu persimmons, ripe but firm
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp cardamom, ground
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup Greek yogurt OR vanilla ice cream
• 1 1/2 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup roasted pistachios, chopped

Course Brunch, dessert Cuisine American, European, German, Middle Eastern Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 3 Tbsp honey 2 Tbsp hot water 1 vanilla bean 4 fuyu persimmons, ripe but firm 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice 1/4 tsp cardamom, ground 2 Tbsp unsalted butter pinch of salt 1 cup Greek yogurt OR vanilla ice cream 1 1/2 Tbsp honey 1/4 cup roasted pistachios, chopped

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, combine hot water with 3 Tbsp honey; stir until honey is dissolved. With a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise & scrape half of the seeds into the bowl. Reserve excess seeds for yogurt.
2. Peel the persimmons, cut them in half lengthwise & then slice into 1-inch thick wedges. Arrange the slices in a baking dish, drizzle with lime juice & sprinkle with the honey mixture, cardamom & butter.
3. Roast persimmons for about 45-60 minutes spooning the pan juices over top occasionally. When done they should be tender & easily pierced with a knife.
4. In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 Tbsp honey & yogurt. Add the remainder of the vanilla bean seeds; whisk until yogurt is smooth & well blended.
5. To serve, divide yogurt between 4 serving dishes, top with a quarter of the persimmons, drizzle with any extra syrup & sprinkle the pistachios on top.
6. 

Recipe Notes

• When using extract in place of vanilla bean in a recipe, use 1 teaspoon for every one inch of vanilla bean. Be sure to replace vanilla bean with vanilla extract and not vanilla flavoring or imitation vanilla, which are both a far cry from real vanilla.