Sunday, October 25, 2009

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?


17 comments:

  1. Yum, a chutney sounds great. It's funny reading about all the persimmon posts when our season is so opposite - must remember this for next year. I've seen persimmon flan recipes around...

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  2. I have never cooked with persimmons, but you have inspired me. Chutney is a terrific idea, especially with the pork roast. Sounds like you did a dandy job on that too. The produce box sounds so wonderful, I have to join a co-op for next summer.

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  3. Great way to use persimmons. They would make a super chutney. There are persimmon posts galore right now- I love it.

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  4. I've never had a persimmon before. I'm intrigued.

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  5. I love the color of persimmons, although I admit I'm not as familiar with preparing meals that include them. If you do any more persimmon cooking, definitely do a post!

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  6. I suggest you all give it a try-it's a simple recipe and really not one you need to follow too carefully. Mine turned out sweeter than some people might prefer, but it worked for me.

    Bob: You should definitely try one!

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  7. i’m sorry to report that i have zero experience with persimmons, and that includes tasting them. regardless, i have a feeling i’d like your chutney, especially on a slab of pig!

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  8. heehee, I've definitely had to pick out something from the pot because I didn't read the recipe correctly... I love persimmons, my Japanese grandma had trees in her yard, so I was raised eating the crunchy fuyu. I love the cinnamony taste and I get the hand massaged dried hachiya as a treat for my mom. The recipe sounds good and my compliments on your beautiful photography!

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  9. egg & Grace: I know you both like pork so give persimmons a try alongside a chop or roast.

    foodhoe: Thank you! :)

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  10. What a great recipe! We actually have a persimmons tree in our home in Korea. We usually eat the persimmons as they are, dry them, or freeze them to make a sort of ice cream. I've never tried to incorporate persimmons into a recipe! This may be a good time to try!

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  11. thanks for the recipe, i love eating fuyu raw. my grandma dry them and you get this chewy persimmon cake.

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  12. I bet this would be fab with roasted pork. Mmmm!

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  13. Jessica: persimmon ice cream, now that's something I must try!

    3 hungry tummies: thank you for stopping by! I'm looking forward to checking out your blog.

    Food gal: fruit and roasted pork is a classic,right?!

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  14. Those persimmons look absolutely perfect! I used to make a fancy restaurant dessert where I pan-roasted persimmons in vanilla sugar and butter, then served them with a scoop of triple crème cheese. It was decadent.

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  15. This looks delicious, I may have to give it a try! Thanks!

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  16. chutneys have been such a joy for us in aplachicola, and now it's time to tackle the harvest of persimmons. many thanks for the recipe.

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