Spiced persimmon chutney

Sometimes things show up in our produce box that I'm not sure what to do with. Of course, that's part of the reason why I like getting the box--to force a little creativity on myself. Over the last few years, I've conquered gaily striped carnival squash, beyond bitter dandelion greens, and a seemingly endless variety of peppers, none of which I would choose from the grocery store. But when they arrive at my doorstep, already paid for and ready to be cooked, I can rise to the occasion.

I have also had the opportunity to cook with ingredients that I like but don't often buy, like persimmons. This week, four fat little Fuyus appeared.

I knew I could just slice them and put them in a salad. But sometimes raw persimmons make my tongue feel weird and cottony. For a long time I thought I was mildly allergic to them, until I read that many people have this sensation when they eat persimmons. Something to do with tannins, although they are more pronounced in Hachiya persimmons, which are very astringent and should be cooked before consuming. Fuyus you can eat raw.

 

But I liked the idea of doing something more interesting with them than tossing them in a salad. I'd seen recipes for persimmon bars and persimmon cakes, but since I was already chilling dough for my apple crostata (an upcoming post) I wanted something savory.

Or at least sort of savory. I decided on a spiced persimmon chutney.

This isn't the kind of thing I normally make. I'm not crazy for chutney, and the husband isn't much for  sauces and relishes. But I decided to give it a whirl, since I had all of the ingredients on hand.

I modified the recipe based on the reader reviews--I cut the vinegar, apple, and raisins in half, and I left out the jalapeno. I also nearly wrecked it when I dumped all the ingredients in the pan after reading "Combine all ingredients" before I noticed the next two words, "except persimmons". I spent the next few minutes sorting through the pan pulling out the little orange squares.

The recipe, with my changes, turned out great. I served it alongside a roasted pork loin rubbed in ground fennel and coriander to echo the flavors of the chutney. Even the husband declared it a success.

This week I have more persimmons arriving. What shall I do with them?