Food

Well this week's tip is going to be with FUYU PERSIMMIONS.

These are one of my favorite persimmons of all the persimmons, the Fuyu persimmons, but you have to select and store these persimmons right.

By the way, the Fuyu persimmons are the persimmons you eat when they are hard, not when they are soft, but when they are hard. Usually when they are soft they are going to be mealy, but when they are hard they're going to have a wonderful sweet nutty flavor to them, and also a spicy flavor all put together that's especially great on salads.

When you select Fuyu persimmons, this is what you want to do. You want to buy them when they're orange all the way around, and they have to be firm, almost like an apple. A little bit of a give, not too much, just a little bit of a give.

When you bring them home, other persimmons, the Hachiya persimmon, the pointy persimmon, you store on the counter, but the Fuyu persimmon you store in the refrigerator. You want to treat them like an apple; you want to keep them nice and cold.

What's great about these Fuyu persimmons besides being crunchy, you should try them in a salad with some mesclun mix, a little bit of blue cheese, a nice light vinaigrette. Slice these up and put them in there, they are fantastic, or sliced up with some balsamic vinegar on there; that's even better.

They're loaded with vitamin A.

Fuyu persimmons—just don't say that too fast in mixed company.


Wild Rice and Barley Salad with Wild Mushrooms and Persimmons
Serves 6

Tarragon - Dijon Dressing
½ bunch fresh Tarragon; stemmed
1 teaspoon minced Organic Garlic
1½ tablespoon Dijon Mustard
½ teaspoon organic minced lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh organic lemon juice
1 teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
½ teaspoon Peppercorn green or pink
2 teaspoons Nutritional Yeast
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/3 cup Light Olive Oil
1/8 cup Hazelnut Oil or Walnut Oil

In a blender, combine all the ingredients except the oils. Add the olive oil and blend. With the blender running, add the remaining oil.

Salad
2 Leeks washed well and cut into 1/2'' crosswise slices
1 clove Organic Garlic minced
1 bulb fennel - cut into 1/4'' dice
4 ounces Chanterelle Mushrooms halved
4 ounces Crimini Mushrooms or Button Mushrooms cut into quarters
1/4 cup Dry Sherry Non-Alcoholic Red Wine or Vegetable Stock
2 tablespoons Thyme (fresh) minced
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
2 Persimmons cut into small cubes
1 Celery Root peeled cut into small cubes blanched until crisp-tender and cooled
2 cups Wild Rice cooked
2 cups Pearl Barley cooked
½ cup Hazelnuts toasted and coarsely chopped
1 cup Tarragon - Dijon Dressing (see recipe above)
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Organic Parsley chopped
Tarragon (fresh) chopped
Fresh parsley for garnish


1. In a large sauté pan or skillet, combine the leeks, garlic, fennel, mushrooms, sherry/wine/stock, thyme, and salt and cook uncovered over medium heat until the mushrooms are just tender, about 5 minutes. The leeks and fennel will still be fairly firm. Let cool at room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, combine the mushroom mixture, 1½ of the persimmons, celery root, grains, and nuts. Fold in the dressing, mixing well. Add the salt, pepper, and parsley. Pour onto a serving platter or individual plates and garnish with the tarragon, parsley, and reserved ½ persimmon.