Persimmon, blood orange & pomegranate salad
The winter fruits take center stage in this delicious Persimmon, Blood Orange & Pomegranate Salad. Exotic Fuyu persimmons, oranges, pomegranate seeds and ripe tropical mango and/or papaya just scream decadence. Red fleshed blood oranges can be used in place of navel oranges. The combination of diametrically opposing textures of persimmons and pomegranate seeds and cornucopia of flavors from blood orange and mango will really delight your palate. This stylish salad on steroids will become your favorite for impressing friends. Pick the ripest fruits; mango should yield slightly to the touch and persimmons should have a bright orange skin and no visual signs of bruising or browning. Alternatively, segment your citrus and thinly slice the rest of fruits. Sweet yet acidic, Pine Nut Persimmon Vinaigrette adds an additional punch of flavor to the greens and fruits in this salad. Use the leftover dressing for white fish or salmon fillet. Oven-Baked Sea Bream was a great accompaniment for it on my menu.
Ingredients: pomegranate, Fuyu persimmons, mangoes, mesclun, green onion,blood or navel oranges, olive oil, red wine vinegar, toasted pine nuts, orange peel, orange juice, honey, shallot, Dijon-style mustard, ground cinnamon, freshly ground black pepper.
If desired, substitute two pink or red grapefruit for the oranges or use a combination of oranges and grapefruit.
If using mango, slice it into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick slices.
Fuyu persimmons: Short, squatty, eaten when crisp, are the ones to use in this salad. (The acorn-shaped Hachiya must ripen to a gelatinous softness to be edible and are the ones usually used for baking.) Fuyu persimmons are enjoying a burst of popularity, with October through December being their prime season-so substitute sliced and seeded papayas or mangoes if persimmons are unavailable.
Score an “X” into the top of the pomegranate. Break apart into quarters. Working in a bowl of cool water, immerse each quarter; use your fingers to loosen the seeds from the white membrane. Discard peel and membrane. Drain the seeds; set aside.
Cut each persimmon in half. Slice into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick slices.
To serve, arrange mesclun mixture on salad plates. Arrange persimmons and oranges on top of greens, tucking a few in and under leaves. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Pass the remaining Pine Nut-Persimmon Vinaigrette.
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Persimmon, Blood Orange & Pomegranate Salad
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 pomegranate
- 2 large ripe Fuyu persimmons, mangoes, or papayas
- 5 cups mesclun, arugula, baby arugula, or mixed salad greens
- 6 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions (optional)
- 4 medium blood and/or navel oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
Pine Nut-Persimmon Vinaigrette (1 cup)
- 1 large ripe Fuyu persimmon
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- 1 ½ teaspoons finely shredded blood orange peel, or orange peel
- 2 tablespoons blood orange juice or orange juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ large shallot, cut up
- ½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- Dash ground cinnamon or gound allspice
- Dash freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Score an “X” into the top of the pomegranate. Break apart into quarters. Working in a bowl of cool water, immerse each quarter; use your fingers to loosen the seeds from the white membrane. Discard peel and membrane. Drain the seeds; set aside.
- Cut each persimmon in half. Slice into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick slices.
- In a large bowl combine mesclun and green onions. Drizzle 1/2 cup of the Pine Nut-Persimmon Vinaigrette over mesclun; toss to coat.
- To serve, arrange mesclun mixture on six chilled salad plates. Arrange persimmons and oranges on top of greens, tucking a few in and under leaves. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Pass the remaining Pine Nut-Persimmon Vinaigrette.
- Pine Nut-Persimmon Vinaigrette: Remove the core from one large ripe Fuyu persimmon; cut in half. Scoop out pulp (you should have about 1/3 cup), discarding skin. Place pulp in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Add olive oil; red or white wine vinegar; toasted pine nuts; blood orange peel; blood orange juice; honey; shallot; mustard; cinnamon; and pepper. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Makes about 1-1/4 cups.
